Untamed Lily
by obsidians
Summary: Lily Angel Northman is now a tough young woman, she has a chance encounter with a stranger in a motel room. Who is he or what is he?
1. Chapter 1

Untamed Lily

Back again, don't expect the same volume of updates I am afraid, I shall post at inspiration. Obsidian

Disclaimer: These characters are spin offs of the original ones of Eric, Sookie and Pam from the Southern Vampire Mysteries, I do not own these original characters nor their offspring really, they are property of Charlaine Harris and I do not make any money for writing these stories.

******

My name is Lily Angel Northman, but if truth be told, I am no angel. I am 20 years old and have long wavy blonde hair with natural red highlights that I wear to my lower hips. I am tall for a woman, five foot eleven inches and have a tall slim body, except when it come to breast size, I am well endowed there while my hips are small, my waist slim and limbs long. I have sapphire blue eyes that people tell me are my best feature; these give me a deceptively innocent look.

I grew up in the supernatural community surrounded by attractive non-aging vampire grandparents. My Grandma Sookie finally became one at age 55 when she feared for her own mortality or simply wanted to keep her eye on my Grandpa Eric who is a bit of a ladies man, take your pick. On both sides I have fae blood which I am told explain my height and body type, not to mention my ears. Mine are slightly pointed, unlike my Grandfather John's whose are severely pointed. My father has some secret position in the government which he cannot talk about; I suspect that the vampires placed him there. My mother invented a new pain killer, so we are never hurting for money.

I have it all looks, popularity, wealth and brains. I wear my family's wealth like it was armor and my trust fund like a shield. I don't try and hide it with my designer clothing, expensive hair cuts, cars and jewelry. I am a pampered princess in every sense of the word and I know it.

Today I am in Fort Lauderdale along with other college students my age, doing what we do best; blowing out parent's money and getting drunk, all except me that it. Due to my unusual in heritage it takes me a lot to get drunk; I mean a hell of a lot. Right now I am using that to my advantage and hustling some frat boys in a tequila shot contest. I saw through the contest right away, it is just way to victimize girls who lost after it is done. So in a sense I am drinking for justice. I am on my twentieth and only slightly drunk while my challenger is swaying on his feet. I order two more. Tonight I have on a red corset dress that slits high on the thigh and wear only red lace topped thigh highs besides my dress, one of which is completely visible on my crossed leg. I take the shot and toast him then throw it back without flinching. He does the same and then crashes to the floor.

I stand up and take my winnings, $700.00 and place it on the table in front of Julie, a shy impoverished girl on a tight scholarship. She is only here because someone anonymously paid for her trip and sent it to her on the pretense that she won a contest; I don't do this sort of thing to be a nice person, I am not. I just believe that good things should happen to good people once in a while. She looked questioningly at the money before her and I said aloud to her and her friends "thank you for the loan, this should cover it" my eyes challenged her to deny it. Instead she smiled and said anytime, her eyes thanked me.

I returned to my table, I could feel eyes on me from across the bar; I turned to look at him. I could tell he was a Supe just from a glance; you can't be raised in a family like mine not to notice this. But what sort of Supe, I had no idea. His hair was long and chocolate brown and his eyes so dark brown that no pupil was visible. He had a slim but chiseled body and had the palest live skin I had ever seen, his face was that of a cruel angel, beautiful but deadly. He wore all black clothing which were nondescript, just a pair of black jeans, and a black muscle shirt which clung to his tall powerful frame like a second skin; this displayed the tribal art tattoos swirling around both arms. I felt a flare of desire just looking at him; I gave him a look and walked out of the bar towards my motel room. I could feel him right behind me and out of the corner of my eye could see him following me; he seemed to blend into the shadows. He moved soundlessly and seemed to glide across the asphalt, the perfect creature of the night stalking his prey, me.

I slipped my card key from my small purse and inserted it into the lock, just in case he was a vampire I whispered "you have my permission to come in". I entered into the darkened room without even glancing back to see if he was following me. The only clue I had was the light scent of male musk, then the door slammed shut and he flipped on the lights. He grabbed me by my throat and slammed me against the door, I gasped slightly at how fast he could move then relaxed when he did nothing more then stare into my eyes and seemed to sniff me, his face impassive. He then held out his other hand and his fingers were suddenly tipped with sharp looking claws. I turned in fear from these, but the hand holding my neck suddenly slid up to hold my chin in place. I noticed that that this hand also had the same claws. He looked me over at his leisure and then his other hand moved to the front of my dress and those claws tore it open like they were razor blades, from the top of the bodice all the way to the slit at my thigh. I whimpered but remained still in case he cut me. I clutched it to me "what are you doing?" I demanded.

He smiled in a feral way and cut the straps of the dress, the only thing holding it up and then forced my hands away from my body so that the material fell away leaving me naked and defenseless except for my thigh highs and high heels. He took both of my wrists with one of his large hands and held them pinned over my head. Again he examined my trembling form in an almost disinterested sort of way. He did nothing for several minutes then he suddenly moved two now blunt tipped fingers towards the mouth of my sex and without warning plunged them into me. I gasped again and struggled against his hand pinning my wrists, I wanted to yell, but could only moan as I felt him working his digits inside me, he found and assaulted my pleasure center. He stared into my eyes and seemed to nod in approval when he could feel how wet I was getting.

Suddenly, he picked me up and threw me onto the bed. I looked at him in part fear and part longing while he took off his top and undid his jeans, he roughly parted my thighs with his knees. Then without warning, he was inside me and I was being filled and stretched around the largest cock that I had ever taken. I cried out at the bulk of it then grunted when he began to slam into me. He didn't try and seduce me; he just took me matter of factually as if he had the right, a dog rutting a bitch in heat. He easily lifted my hips so that each bruising stroke slammed against my cervix, he didn't moan so much as growl, his cries of pleasure low and bestial. Each stroke was so intense it the amount of pleasure it was affording me that it wasn't too long before I was growling myself. The entire time he stared into my eyes with a smirk on his face as I helplessly bucked myself against him, wanting more, wanting all that he could give. I could feel the fabric of his jeans against my legs and parted them as wide as possible to give him better access eventually lashing them around his waist and arching my back to receive him. I could feel my body getting tighter and tighter until my release crashed over me and I screamed my way through the most powerful orgasm that I had ever experienced in my life. This was met with another nod of approval. This was followed by another orgasm, then another. I felt him swell even larger and then he growled loudly, more animal then human. The large volume of seed that he released was hotter then human and when it slammed against my cervix this triggered another orgasm of my own. When he was done, he grinned at me, his claws were back and his teeth were pointed feline style. Then he stood up and tucked himself back into his pants and put on his shirt. He opened the window.

I lay on the bed covered with sweat and his sperm, my voice was hoarse from screaming "What is your name?" I croaked.

He turned back as if remembering that I was there "No names" he replied in a soft voice as deadly as himself.

"Please" I begged. "I want to see you again. How will I find you?"

He grinned at me, this time in illusion was back and his teeth and claws concealed "You will just have to try to find me" he replied and jumped out the window.

I ran to it, my heart in my throat, afraid for him as I was on the seventh floor. I watched as he landed noiselessly, as easily as a cat. He gave me a mock salute and faded into the shadows.


	2. Chapter 2

Just so everyone knows, Neko means cat in Japanese, I have enjoyed reading Inuyasha anime ff as of late and was reminded of how the demons in Japan are animal based for the most part and decided to bring one of these into the CH world. These sort of demons retain a human appearance with characteristics of their animal visible (hence all the anime cat girls), which they can conceal at will and can become a powerful version of that animal when doing battle. So Joshua is not a normal CH Demon.

******

Oddly enough, it only took a week to find him. I contacted a Supe detective agency, who then contacted the vampires; he wasn't one of them. Then he contacted the shifter community; he wasn't one of them either, but they were familiar with him. So it cost my family a mint, but I got the report on him. Joshua Dax twenty five years old, unmarried, lives with his grandmother and is owner of Katmandu Tattoos.

I went to his tattoo shop the next day; it was an upscale place that kind of resembled LA Ink, the place was huge and seemed to be doing a brisk trade. The girl behind the counter was a platinum blonde with red streaks in her hair and more metal in her face than Pinhead. She wore a white tank top over a black bra and all visible skin was tattooed. Her lips twitched a bit in amusement as if a strange woman asking for Joshua was common place. She went to get him while I flipped through a motorcycle magazine; I was engrossed in motorcycle porn, a passion that seems to run in my family when she returned with him. He didn't look surprised to see me and even favoured me with a slight nod of respect.

Before he could say anything, I held out my hand and said "My name is Lily Angel Northman, Lily for short"

He smiled in a friendly way and shook my hand "I guess that you know that I am Joshua Dax then?" He looked the same as the week before only this time he wore t-shirt with the name of the shop on it and his hair was tied back in a ponytail. The receptionist seemed amused by this conversation and kept on looking from one of us to the other as if watching a tennis match. "I have a client due in about half an hour, this is a familiar conversation for me and I prefer not having it in front of my staff. There is a coffee shop down the block. Perhaps we can go there?" he suggested and took a hold of my hand to tug me along with him, I could feel my mouth go dry just at the causal contact.

We got to the coffee shop and he ordered a couple lattes for us. He sat across from me and fiddled with his sunglasses, seeming a bit nervous. "Look......" he started.

"What are you?" I interrupted him with.

"What are you? I am a tattoo artist and own a shop" he countered.

"I am a human with a bit of fairy blood on both sides of my family" I said pulling my hair back to show him my ears.

He leaned in and seemed to sniff me again "yes, you are mainly human; only a trace of your blood is fae that I can smell" he proclaimed uselessly.

"That is what I just said. Now what are you? Vampire? Shifter? Were? Come clean, I know you are a Supe" I declared.

"I am full Neko Demon" he replied.

"What is that?" I asked intrigued.

"Neko is the Japanese word for cat, so I would be a Cat Demon of Japanese origins" he replied.

"You sure don't look Japanese" I replied.

He looked rather offended "just because the Nekos originated in Japan doesn't mean that I am Japanese, there are plenty of American Neko Demons" he said loftily.

"So what is it you can do?" I asked intrigued.

"I have the ability to move silently, I have superior eyesight, including night vision and hearing; I can grow claws and fangs at will and can morph into a full demon cat if needed" he explained.

"So you are a Were?" I said bored already.

He looked offended again "no, I do not simply become a stupid ten pound house cat; I become a full twelve foot obsidian black cat. There is a difference between a Neko demon and a stupid Were; what you just said would be considered offensive to others of my kind".

"Well, I saw the claws and teeth; if you have cat eyes, I haven't seen them" I replied.

He sighed and shut his eyes, only to open them to show gorgeous golden eyes with slits in the center. "Are these cat-like enough for you?" he said with exasperation. Then he blinked and they were back to their usual almost impenetrable black depths. "Look I know what this is all about and want to say, I don't date"

"Why you egotistical asshole! What the do you mean you don't date?" I asked glaring at him.

"Exactly what I am saying, you obviously spent a lot of time and probably money to track me down and you are an attractive woman. So you obviously wouldn't have bothered if you just wanted to get screwed" he replied.

"YOU challenged me to find you; that is the reason why I am here" I said wishing I could actually believe that.

"You really must have a lot of time on your hands and money if you thought that I was issuing you a challenge. Look what happened is simple, you invited me to your room because you wanted to get off and you did. I am not looking for a rich bitch who wishes to walk on the wild side by hanging out with me and I don't need to be used to get daddy mad. If you want a new car, just ask him" he actually said to me.

"Wow, prejudice much? Yes I come from money, I won't deny it but don't presume to judge me or my family" I snarled at him.

"Why shouldn't I? I have met them before" he said. "Look, go find yourself a nice frat boy and forget about me, poor boys are not a taste you should acquire."

"Well considering you didn't even bother offering to use birth control that night, you should be wondering what _I _might have acquired" I pointed out.

I watched as what little colour he had in his face drained away "aren't you on the pill or something? I thought you would be. Are you?" he asked in a hesitant voice.

"Yes, I am" I replied. "But what about sexually transmitted diseases? You should more careful" I lectured.

"Irrelevant, I am immune to them and can't pass them on" he explained. "However, I suggest that the next time you try and find friends is low places, that you discuss birth control and STD protection _before_ inviting them back to your room to do the hot and nasty" he lectured back.

"You know I have met people from all walks of life and gotten along with most. You are the first one that ever talked down to me! What the hell is your problem?" I demanded.

"Dating rich girls like you" he said coldly. "Look, you had your walk on the wild side; I hope I put on a good enough of a show for you. Now get out of my life"

"Fine I will. I may be rich, but I am not a bitch. The only one being a bitch here is you!" I snarled.

"Don't insult me just because I don't have your stupid, idle rich daddy to run to like you do"

That did it; I threw the rest of my latte at him and slapped him. He sat there stunned. "I told you not to insult my family, now get out of my sight before I knock that chip off your shoulder" I said in a level voice.

He looked a bit ashamed "I think I went a little far, I am sorry"

"You are not leaving? Fine I will" and did just that.

Later that night I had just gotten out steaks that I was marinating for the barbeque and having a much needed beer, when there was a knock on the door. I lived in my Grandfather John's old renovated warehouse that he had left in favour of moving to Shreveport with Granny Pam shortly after they got married. The place was huge for only one person, but I loved it.

I opened the door to find Joshua on the other side; I took a sip of my beer and asked him sarcastically "so how did you track me down? Did it cost you a lot of money?"

"You were the only Northman in the phonebook, it is almost like it is made up surname." he explained. "Look I was an ass earlier and I wanted to apologize" he said sincerely.

I looked at him and decided to offer an olive branch "You a vegetarian?"

He seemed puzzled "No"

"You drink beer?"

"Yes" he replied.

"Then would you like to come in for steak and beer or is that too date-like for you?" I asked sounding slightly sarcastic with my offer.


	3. Chapter 3

Hee hee, still posting, again don't expect this all the time.

Thank you for all the nice reviews, glad you like this story.

*****

He hesitated and then said "that would be fine; I haven't eaten yet today"

I pretended to bow and did the come in gesture to him. As he walked past me I could smell the same clean scent of male musk as before. My nipples became hard and I fought the urge to run my hand down his ponytail to see if his hair was as soft as it looked. Realizing I wasn't wearing a bra, I quickly crossed my arms over my chest. 'Great' I thought to myself, 'if I am going to react this way just to how he smells, then perhaps I should pour the rest of my cold beer over my head.' Instead I got him a bud.

He glanced curiously around the interior, it was vary spacious and had various types of furnishing scattered throughout, his eyes went wide at the vintage Harley Davison motorcycles in their display cases. I had gotten sick of them getting dusty so I had the display cases built. They were designed in such a way that the bikes could be easily removed if someone wanted to ride one of them.

"Where did you get some many?" he asked in awe.

"They belong to my grandfather; he collects them, the warehouse belongs to him to. When I was accepted to the University of Miami he suggested that I live here"

"Do they work?" he asked.

"Yep, every single one of them is fully functional, I ride them sometimes when I am not riding my own" I explained.

"You drive a Harley? I thought that you would live in a sorority house and drive nothing more powerful then a moped" he admitted.

"Appearances can be deceiving" I said looking at him meaningfully.

I showed him around, eventually bringing him the loft that I slept in

"This is wonderful; it must be nice to have so much space to yourself" he commented. I looked at him sharply to see if he was mocking me for being from wealth, but he simply looked sincere.

"It is kind of big for just me, but I love it and couldn't imagine wanting to live anywhere else" I said smiling at him.

I showed him to the rooftop where I had set up a spartan barbeque patio. It looked a little silly with the barbeque and patio furniture taking up so little space on the huge roof, but the view of the city lights reflected in the water made it worth it. My grandfather told me that I this is the sort of view that should be shared with someone that I loved when he last visited me. I had smiled at him and said that I was sharing it with someone I love; him. However I did have to wonder what it would be like to have someone to share this with other then visiting family members. I looked at my guest and noticed that the city lights were being reflected in his fathomless eyes. I mentally shook off that thought and pulled myself back to the present.

"It is nice up here too, you are lucky to have such a place. Heck in my apartment, there is barely enough room for me to paint and my grandmother's plants block out most of the light" he said.

"You paint as well as tattoo?" I asked curious.

"Yes, I can work with canvas as well as skin" he replied. I shivered a bit when he said skin.

"So is your grandmother a Neko Demon too?" I asked for some reason picturing a white Persian cat wearing a house dress.

"Yes, her demon form is grey where as mine is black" he replied.

"Would you show me your demon form sometime?" I asked.

He looked at me in shock as if I had just suggested that he perform a striptease for me "that is really personal" he explained.

"We did have sex you know" I pointed out. "It doesn't really get more personal then that" I countered.

"Perhaps someday, not now" he said stubbornly.

"Fine, how do you like your steak?" I asked tersely.

"Blue and bloody" he said flashing me is feline toothed grin.

I placed the foil wrapped potatoes on the barbeque and opened the cooler that he had been thoughtful enough to bring up for us, I handed him another beer and got one for myself. I lit the patio lanterns and had a seat at the table; he took the one beside me. "I was just wondering why you have a pirate flag up your flag pole?" he asked.

I smiled up at the flag with its skull and crossed cutlasses "Captain Calico Jack Rackham, this is his jolly roger; he was actually a rather miserable pirate and was hanged in the end. He is best known for having two female pirates aboard, Ann Bonny and Mary Read, quite frankly that is the only thing that really makes him memorable. That and they use that flag a lot, even in Disney's Pirates of the Carribean; his lover Ann was the one that embroidered it for him. I just like pirates I guess" I said by way of conclusion.

My guest was still starting at the lights and seemed lost in thought.

"How did you get into the tattoo business if you don't mind me asking" I said taking a pull of my beer and resisting the urge to run my fingers down the pale arm so close to my own.

"I was doing my second year in Art College when my parents were shot and my grandmother was getting frailer, so I dropped out. Needing a way to support us both, so I got a job at a tattoo palour, discovered I liked it and used my parent's insurance money to open my own" He said as matter a factually as if talking about discussing the weather.

"Your parents were shot?" I said in a startled voice and then without thinking I did start stroking his arm "I'm sorry" I said in a soft voice.

Something flickered in his eyes and he glanced down at my hand, I hastily snatched it away. "They ran a convenience store, it wasn't much but they owned it. One night someone robbed them and shot them in frustration when there was only twenty dollars in the till; my father had already made the deposit and they didn't believe him. That was three years ago"

Not sure what to say I made what I thought was a sound of sympathy, but in hindsight probably sounded more like a tire deflating. I tried to make myself busy by adding the salad dressing to the salad and arranging cutlery in front of us. When I leaned over him I realized my mistake as my face was inches from his own. It was so tempting to close the distance between us and .......I killed that thought and took my blushing cheeks over to the barbeque to check on the potatoes. "Would you like a glass of wine?" I asked in what I hoped sounded like a normal voice. Wondering if I should forget about pouring beer on myself and just dump the cooler ice over me instead. What is with me when I am around this man?

"Sure that would be nice" he said and accepted the glass from me. "I was just wondering. I am not interrupting company or something? I mean you seem to be making a lot of food for just one person"

"I always make enough for two or three meals so I that I don't have to cook every night" I explained. "I like having company so I am glad that you came by" I said sincerely with a smile.

"You're different then other rich girls" he commented.

"You're different from other poor boys" I commented back.

I finished preparing the meal and then we ate; he was comfortable to be around. 'I could get used to this' I thought.

"That has to have been the best steak I ever tasted" he commented afterwards.

"Family recipe for the marinade, the same grandfather that owns the Harleys and the warehouse invented it" I explained and poured him another glass of wine without asking.

His cell phone rang, he glanced at the call display and said "It's my grandmother; I hope you don't mind, but I have to take this." He looked apologetic when he said this.

"Please feel free" I assured him and started stacking the dishes into the bucket I keep there for this purpose. I tried not to listen, but it was hard not to. His conversation went like this.

"Hello Nana. You are you out of tea? Which type?"

"Lemon Zinger? Why not just drink another type for tonight; you have about twenty different types." I could hear someone on the other end start to chew him out; I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

"Okay, okay, I will pick some up on my way home. Where am I? At a friend's place having dinner" he glanced at me when he said this.

"Yes, it is a female friend"

"No, I am not on a date. I dropped by and she invited me to eat with her"

"After? Not sure, she suggested watching a movie"

"Yes dinner and a movie could be considered a date, but not in this case" he seemed slightly annoyed by this and then seemed to blush when something else was said. "No, we shall not be doing that!" he said flatly. "After the movie, I shall pick up your tea and come home"

He paused "her name is Lily. Nana, I am sure that she already has plans for tomorrow night" the squabbling voice started up again. "Okay, I will ask her" he pulled his cell away from his ear. "She wants to know if you would like to have dinner with us tomorrow night. I have already said you probably have other plans, but she insists I ask you"

"I have no plans for tomorrow; tell her I would be delighted" he looked at me suspiciously and I gave him a wide innocent smile.

"Yes she is coming" he said grudgingly. "Eight o'clock okay with you?" he asked me.

"That would be fine"

He hung up and we went downstairs to look at my movie collection, we chose Men In Black and he insisted on helping me with the dishes first.

I settled on the couch after putting on the movie and was glad when he decided to sit beside me. I dimmed the lights and settled back against the cushions. I must have fallen asleep because when I woke up I was pressed against a warm body. I slowly became aware that I appeared to be lying on the couch with my head in Joshua's lap and I was hugging his waist with my nose poking into his six-packed stomach. Logically that meant that the side of my head was against his........ I sat up quickly, my face turning fives shades of red at once.

"You awake Sleeping Beauty?" he inquired.

"I am so sorry; I really am not much of a hostess. You could have just left"

"Yeah, left a beautiful young woman asleep and defenseless in an unlocked place where I couldn't even turn on the alarm? I am not that much of a cad" he said.

"You think I am beautiful?" I asked.

"I had sex with you" he answered dismissively and pulled on his leather jacket, he paused. "I hope you don't mind, I was looking at the photo album on your coffee table while you slept. Are these two your brothers?" He asked indicating a picture taken recently with my two grandfathers and myself.

I smiled and turned to other pictures of them. "This was taken when my father was a baby" I said showing him a picture of Grandpa Eric holding my infant father. "This one was taken at Grandpa John's wedding almost forty years ago" I said and then I turned to the picture that was he was asking about. "These are my grandfathers, they are vampires, and so are my grandmothers."

"Wow that is really something. What are they like?"

"My grandfather John was a fairy before he became vampire, he is a nice guy, and his wife Granny Pam is sexually obsessed. Grandpa Eric is loveable but a bit of a hard ass and hates all my boyfriends. Granny Sookie is tough but fair." I said smiling. "You don't have to worry about me living here alone; I have the entire vampire and Were community in Florida watching out for me."

He thanked me for dinner and gave me an awkward hug "I have to go; apparently I have tea to pick up" he said and rolled his eyes.

"I need your address for tomorrow" I reminded him.

"You are actually coming?" he seemed surprised by this.

"I said I was" I replied patiently.

"Very well but don't expect our place to look like yours" he said defensively.

"I don't, just give me the address and let me know what to bring"

"Okay, we live in the apartment above the tattoo palour" he said grudgingly.

"Perfect, I will pick up some wine and meet you there tomorrow then. I am looking forward to this" I said honestly. He narrowed his eyes at this statement.


	4. Chapter 4

Time to meet Nana, thank you Apearle for helping me with Tabby.

Yes, everyone. The grandfathers are showing up soon! Obsidian

******

Now Joshua had said his place wasn't like mine; but I hadn't realized how different. Everything seemed to have been decorated with a firm feminine hand, with doilies, tablecloths, chintz and frills everywhere. Then there were the plants that he had mentioned, the place was a jungle! It was on the small side, yet cozy. Joshua seemed a tad sheepish when my eyes grew wide as to how the place was decorated. "My grandmother chose the décor, she spends a lot more time here then me so I let her" he explained.

He showed me the place in total; I was relieved to see that his bedroom was the typical male bachelor type room. His bed was large and I resisted the urge to sniff it when he went to put my coat away before bringing me into the kitchen to meet his grandmother.

She was a short woman who looked about ninety. She had a slim figure and thick white hair almost as long as mine. She seemed to prefer wearing bright colours and her name was Tabitha. "Just call me Tabby for short" she said with a bright wink. She looked fondly at Joshua and said. "It is good that you are finally bringing home nice girls again." Then she whispered out loud to me with a sniff of distaste. "He normally is in the company of loose woman." I covered my mouth with my hand to muffle my giggles when this caused him to blush.

"Nana!" he admonished. She responded by patting his cheek.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" she said.

"Oh that he certain is" I agreed enjoying his discomfort and his grandmother's feisty sense of humour.

"Good perhaps you can help me with grandchildren then" she concluded. Now it was my turn to blush and Joshua was practically purple; he seemed to be struggling to breathe.

"Perhaps this is the reason why I don't bring anyone home?" he said when he finally recovered.

"Oh come on. You wouldn't deny an old lady her fun would you?" his look plainly said that he would.

"Please behave yourself, she is a guest in our home" he said almost primly.

"Like you behave yourself when you go on the prowl? You think I don't know that you pick up girls when you go out to those bars. I may be old, but I am not stupid." She said placing her hands on her hips and glaring at her much taller grandchild.

"I am sorry, she is not normally this bad" he said to me.

"Nope I am normally much, much worse" she said slapping her knee and laughing at her own joke. "See? I told you that you wouldn't meet a nice girl in a bar." She declared. I tried to look as innocent as possible while he glared at me. The she turned to me "I hope you don't mind me calling you a girl? I consider anyone under the age of one hundred young" she explained.

"How old are you?" I asked startled.

"I shall be celebrating my one hundred and ninetieth birthday this year" she said brightly. "You should have seen how gorgeous I was when I was his age. His grandfather used to chase me around and around for S-E-X all the time"

"I bet you were a hot tamale" I replied with a wink.

"Please don't encourage her" groaned Joshua.

"Girlfriend you don't know the half of it. Sex with his grandfather was the best ever. Hopefully Joshua took after him" she finished.

"You should meet my Granny Pam, you two would get along famously. As for Joshua, all I can say is that he is quite the experience" I said modestly, I snuck a look at the person in question and he was halfway between looking pleased with himself and trying to imitate a tomato. He looked so cute that I couldn't resist hugging him and kissing him of the cheek. He seemed surprised by the contact but allowed it.

"You two look really good together" commented Tabby.

"Why thank you" I said smiling up at the frowning one.

Dinner was simple but delicious, she had made a spaghetti sauce so thick that it was almost like a stew, homemade garlic bread and Caesar salad; I complimented everything and ate with relish. "How do you stay so thin if you eat this cooking every night?" I asked Joshua.

"I have a high metabolism" he replied.

"And he forgets to eat during the day" said Tabby sternly.

Remembering that he had said something similar the night before, I found myself lecturing him "You should be more careful about that".

"Now I have two women picking on me" he said sullenly.

I was amused by the fact that Tabby kept on having cup after cup of tea and each one was a different type that Joshua patiently fetched for her. "I like my tea" she explained unnecessarily.

When it came time for dessert Tabby exclaimed "I forgot to buy ice cream for the apple pie!"

"We can just eat it without" said Joshua. One look from her and he fled into the night to buy ice cream.

She poured herself another cup of tea and sat opposite me.

"How many cartons of ice cream do you really have?" I asked her.

"Two" she replied. "How did you know that I just wanted to talk to you alone?" she asked.

"Simple, you are too detail oriented a person to have forgotten ice cream" I replied. "By the way, I did meet him in a bar and we had a one nightstand" I admitted not wanting to keep things from her.

She shrugged "where else would he have met you? He barely even goes out socially anymore"

I nodded; I had noticed in the brief that I had known him that he seemed to keep himself isolated from the world "how long has he been like this?"

"Since his parents were killed and his fiancée dumped him" she replied.

"I didn't even know that he had been engaged" I said.

"Her father owns half of Texas; the worst half I think. Devil take him and his spoiled brat of a daughter" she said and muttered what sounded like "skank" under her breathe. "Josh was her pet project, she was trying to do a Henry Higgins and transform a pebble into a diamond. She got daddy to pull some strings and get him a scholarship. That all changed when his parents were killed and he became a tattoo artist. Apparently making an honest living tattooing tweety bird on the thighs of fat women was too raw for daddy's little girl. It was okay to date rough as long as he was going to be a state senator. What do you do when your man is down?"

"You pick him up" I replied.

"She kicked him when he was down, first her daddy told him not to bother coming around. So Josh drove all the way to Texas and she told him to his face that she wasn't going to marry some cheap tattoo artist. Then she threw the ring that he saved for five years to buy her into the dirt. He returned from there being how he is today; dead inside and just seeks cheap thrills from sluts and whores."

My mind was spinning with the idea that anyone could treat someone they loved so badly. Especially someone needing comfort after their parents had been killed in a violent way. It all made sense to me why he hated rich girls so much. I felt like crying for the poor wounded young man he had been. I pulled myself back to the present. "Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

She shrugged "you are neither a slut of a whore and I think you genuinely care about him, even if you have known him only a brief amount of time. This is just what I sense"

I was about to reply when he returned with the ice cream.

Afterwards, he walked me to my bike. I know what I had to do, but on impulse I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly as if trying to shield him from the world. He seemed surprised by the gesture, but after a few seconds his arms came around me too and he relaxed into my embrace. Then I pressed my lips softly against his own, his eyes snapped open but then he kissed me back just as gently; our first and last kiss I thought. I touched his hair; it was a soft as it looked. It felt like cat fur, which didn't surprise me.

"Goodbye" I whispered.

"Where are you going?" he replied in a confused sounding voice.

"I intruded in to your life and want you to know that I promise to stay away. I know that you don't like my type" I replied.

He pulled away "That's true, but you aren't really the rich bitch type. The fact is, I find myself liking you and would like to be your friend if you will permit it"

"I like you too and would love to be your friend" I said feeling happier then I ought to have.

He smiled a genuine smile not merely polite as usual and reached into his jacket, taking out a small flask. He uncapped it and raised it as if in toast "to friendship" he said and took a swig.

I took it and had a swig, sighing at the feeling of cheap whiskey burning down my throat. "To friendship" I said and returned his smile. He allowed the illusion to drop and he suddenly was grinning with feline teeth and his eyes were large, golden and slitted; he looked gorgeous.


	5. Chapter 5

I know you guys wanted some sex, so happy to supply. Obsidian

******

Knowing how Joshua had been hurt before, I went very slowly with my pursuit of him. Friends were enough; for now.

How to tame a Wounded Animal 101, make them familiar with you, learn their habits, learn their favourite foods, make them used to your environment, make them used to your touch, make them crave it and they shall be yours.

I began by simply inviting him to hang out with me, I didn't push too hard and I didn't attempt to touch him beyond friendly gestures. Once he accepted these and got used to them he was ready for more. We would get together at my place or his and just relax and chill almost every evening. We got into the habit of eating dinner together; sadly I was right and did get used to it all too easily. Josh is a smart, funny guy and I really enjoyed his company, perhaps a little too much. At least twice a week I would invite Tabby and him over for a barbeque and we would make up a mess of meat and gorge ourselves.

After a few weeks I tried kissing him again, it was the same as before, at first he seemed wary and then got into it. It wasn't hard to see that he was starved for physical affection and I was way too willing to provide that. However I kept our kisses light and gentle, not wanting to frighten him. Gradually he got used to the feel of my hands on his body and even lightly moaned sometimes as I caressed his back as I kissed him. In many ways he was more cat like then I had realized, he was so sensitive to being touched and loved it.

The first time I deepened my kiss and slipped my tongue into his mouth he almost pulled away but I countered that by stroking his hair until he calmed and went along with it. He relaxed under my caresses in a few minutes and then started doing some caressing of his own. It was all that I could do not to rip his clothes off and have my way with him. But in the end he left with his self imposed non-dating chastity intact and me taking a cold shower.

The next night he surprised me by suggesting that we go watch the grunion run. I suggested walking there as the beach was only about five minutes away, so armed with flashlights we started out. He made no objection when I took his hand in mine. For about half and hour we watched the progress of those crazy fish and then without warning it started bucketing rain! We ran back to my place and when we arrived we were laughing like a pair of loons. He took off his shirt automatically and I went to take off my hoodie, only to have the t-shirt I had underneath get stuck to it! He froze at the sight of me only in my bra; I started trembling.

"Are you cold?" he asked with some concern and drew me against his chest to warm me. I hissed at the contact of his skin against mine, my nipples were fully erect and knew he could feel them. Then we were kissing hungrily. Then we were in my bedroom removing our clothes frantically. We didn't even bother with foreplay, I was already damp and him swollen with need for me. "Please, I need you inside me" I begged. He looked at me and then more slowly this time slid inside me, I arched my back and screamed at the feeling of being so fully stretched and filled by him again. When he began to move in me, it was like he was not only hitting my g-spot but like it had wrapped around him. It wasn't long before we were pounding away at each other and rolling around on the bed, I lost count of the orgasms, each one more intense then the last. I had always loved sex, but it had never been like this before. His bestial moans did not make me nervous this time, they were music to my ears and my mouth devoured his own. When he came, he actually snarled and again I felt his splatter against my cervix and that caused yet another orgasm.

After we finished, I got a chance to examine his body. The tribal art tattoos that flowed down his arms also went down on either side of his rib cage and ended halfway down his thighs. There was a pair of leathery bat wings tattooed on his back and laughingly enough there was a small tattoo of Hot Stuff, the demon from the Richie Rich comics on his right hip. His pubic hair wasn't like a normal man's it was more like a cat fur pelt. His body on a whole was long, lean but muscular and chiseled and as deadly as a sword. I marveled at the size of his member, not quite believing I had been able to take all of it in. "You're beautiful," I said in awe.

He smiled in a relaxed way and said "men can't be beautiful".

"You have to meet my grandpa John then" I said. "Seriously, you have to be one of the most gorgeous men I have ever met"

"Thank you, you are no slouch yourself," he said carding his claws through my hair.

"So I was wondering, you seem to have a lot more sperm then a normal male"

He nodded, "yes that is true and it is hotter then a normal male's too, we tend to produce twice the amount of it, this ensures that when a female is in heat, that pregnancy is guaranteed."

"So females Nekos go into heat?"

"Yes, they do once a month" he explained.

"So what happens if they don't wish to have children?" I asked.

"Same as human women, they either use birth control, or avoid male Nekos, get a vibrator and rent every movie that Brad Pitt is in. They get extremely randy during that time."

"Do male Nekos go into heat?"

"We always are in heat. Why do you think I was so concerned when you implied that you weren't using birth control the first night we fucked?"

"So human women can carry a half Neko baby?" I asked as causally as possible.

"Yes, there is a slight risk of not being able to carry it to term because of the interspecies thing, but if under the care of a Neko doctor, it normally works out just fine. The child produced might have some of the characteristic of myself but would look human for the most part."

"Ouch, the idea of a child with claws is terrifying" I said with a shiver.

"The claws do not hardened until outside of the womb and remain retracted until later on in life" he said.

I kind of winced at a slight pain when I shifted. "Did I hurt you?" he asked with some concern.

"Just a little, you are not a small man," I said stroking his soft hair. "I just want you to know that I do care about you" I said and then realized that it was the wrong thing to say, he literally leaped out of bed and landed noiselessly on his feet. He started put on his clothes at breakneck speed. He opened the window about to jump out "Josh" I yelled. He turned to me, wariness in his eyes. "We need to work this out, running away is not going to help"

He sat down in the chair beside my bed "we shouldn't have done this" he replied.

"Did it feel wrong to you?" I asked him.

"No it felt amazing, probably the best sex I have ever had," he said in a sincere tone of voice.

"Perhaps we can come to some sort of arrangement then. You said you don't date, but you obviously love sex. So why don't we be causal sex buddies?"

"That wouldn't be fair to you. You deserve someone who can pledge to be faithful and can love you; I can't offer either of those things. All I could offer you is lots of what we did now and to hang out with you,. I can't offer to be with you for holidays or anything that a normal couple does. I would essentially be using you and you deserve better then that"

"We are not a normal couple and I want you in my bed whenever you want to as well. You wouldn't be using me if I want it as much as you" I said.

"Are you sure?" he replied in a hesitant tone of voice.

"Pinky swear" I replied and extended my pinky to him.

So it began, we had sex almost every night. I became like a junkie needing a fix from him and he did not seem to be much better. We seemed always to be naked with each other. Sometimes sex between us was so tender that I felt like crying afterwards and sometimes it was so brutal that my inner thighs were bruised. No matter what my shape I was always ready for more. I craved him, I was ravenous and wanted just to devour him. We picked up the habit of making dinner together, sometimes he cooked, sometimes me. If he was seeing anyone else; he never told and I never asked. I didn't want to know. At the end of each night he would get dressed and go home, that was the arrangement.

Telling him that he could drop the illusion, I got used to staring into golden eyes. Kissing lips that covered fanged teeth. Being licked by a tongue that was rougher then a human's and being positioned by claw tipped hands that were retracted during intimate contact to avoid cutting me. His ears had fae points, which was a characteristic that was shared with all animal demons he explained.

One night after we finished a particularly hot sweaty session together I got up the nerve to ask the question that had been praying on my mind for weeks 'how do you feel about me?" I thought that he would bolt, but instead his fingers paused in their toying with my nipples.

He rose above me and placed his still hard cock against my entrance and stared down at me. "How do I feel about you? Are you sure you want to know? I feel like I am addicted to you, I want to snarl at any other man who looks at you. I want to be the only one who sees you naked. I want to be the only one who fucks you. I want to be the only one who makes you cum. I want to be the one whose name you scream when you do. I want to cum inside your flesh as many times as possible to mark you with my scent. I want to leave my claw marks all over you to show that you belong to me, but loathe marring your perfect skin with even a single scratch. I want to leave you ever night beyond sated and worn out from my fucking you so that you will think only of me, dream only of me and desire only me. You consume all of my waking thoughts; I want to consume yours. He shifted so that he could rub himself up and down my well-lubricated slit, each time rubbing hard against my clitoris. I moaned.

"Yet, I know that I can't give you what you deserve, a man who can afford to take you to five star restaurants and could sweep you to Paris on a whim. Who can put a fancy ring on your finger and give you a quarter of a million dollar wedding. Who can give you regular human children. When you find him, you will forget all about your lowly tattoo artist." He placed his finger against my clit and started rubbing it hard in time to his teasing me. I gasped. "Until you find him, I intend to have you as many times as I can. Is that enough for you?" he asked and began inching himself inside my well aroused pussy.

"Yes" I gasped and kissed him hard as he began thrusting into me again. It was enough for me; for now

******

The air smelt sweetly of sex and Lily lay sleeping blissfully on the bed, smiling in her sleep. Her hair is wild and her colour high. I finished dressing and am about to jump out of the window, some thing she hates me doing as she fears for me. It is my favourite way of exiting her place because then I can leave it locked securely. She has given me a key and her alarm codes, but old habits die-hard.

I turn to glance at her one more time and notice that she is completely naked, and pause to admire the view, then do something I never have done before and tucked her in. She moves in her sleep and her arms seem to search for me. I stroke her cheek lightly and whispered "good night Princess" then flung myself from her window.


	6. Chapter 6

It was my twenty first birthday and I had a visitor first thing that morning. I smiled happily to see Josh standing on my doorstep with a large flat gift-wrapped package. I opened the door "Did you sleep at all? You should have just stayed the night in this case," I teased as I opened the door for him. He had surprised me the night before by showing up with a bag full of groceries and made us a tasty salmon dinner. We had eaten and drank a bottle of champagne. Then we had made love until dawn, though if you had asked him we probably 'fucked' or 'screwed'. Him and his silly aversion to the L word.

Now here he was at 8am with lattes and a present for me. I invited him in, wrapping myself around him for a kiss.

He chuckled "didn't I satisfy you enough last night?" he asked.

"No, I can't get enough of you. You've ruined me for other men" I said and meant it. Was it my imagination that his golden eyes softened when I said this?

"Good" he said smugly and held out the present to me. Suddenly he looked almost shy, "this is something that I made for you. I will understand if you don't like. I haven't had a lot of spare time lately to do as good as a job as I would have liked to." He said with a slightly rueful smile on his face.

Curious I tore open the package and my hands flew to my mouth in shock. He had painted a picture of me. I sat in my window seat with my legs drawn up and my ankles crossed hugging my knees wearing my white slip-style nightie. It was done with my body facing the side of the window and my face looking out of the picture. The strap of the nightie was slipping down on my slightly curved back and a lot of thigh was on display, yet, the pose was just subtly provocative. The skirt was drawn low enough and the angle prevented anything from showing below. You could see the curve of my breasts and just a hint of the rose hued nipples through the thin cotton of the nightgown, the peak itself as covered by my hair, which spilled down my back and over my shoulders. The light shone through the window highlighting the red in my hair and through the nightie showing my figure beneath. The effect was angelic and almost innocent, the look on my face was tender and loving. I held a single lily in my hand. "Do you like it?" he asked anxiously.

"No" I said, his face fell "I love it, this is the best present that I have ever received," I said throwing my arms around him and kissing him enthusiastically. He returned my kiss.

"I am glad you like it, I was tempted to paint you in the nude but didn't think you would hang it then. I can practically do that from memory" he said with a grin.

"Shall we hang it?" I suggested and went to retrieve a hammer and nails.

'Where do you want it?" he asked picking up the picture.

"The bedroom" I said over my shoulder as I started walking up the stairs towards the loft. He gave me a toothy grin and hurried after me.

We hung the picture on the wall opposite my bed so that it would be the first thing that I saw upon waking and going to sleep. "It looks beautiful" I said having a seat on the bed coincidently, I had on the same nightie from the picture with a sweater over top for warmth. I knew that I was giving him a great view. He was adjusting the painting clad only in tight worn light blue jean with a rip across one knee and red tank top so he was giving me a great view also. He joined me on the bed and sat behind me, drawing my back against his front with his arms around my waist, I let my head tilt back to loll on his shoulder. "Look good?" he asked. I turned so that my hair brushed against his cheek.

"Yes and the painting is beautiful too," I said with a seductive smile. He took the hint and began to tease my nipples through the thin cotton. He eased me back onto the bed and slowly lowered the top of my nightie so that he could work the fleshly peaks with his fingers and mouth. I moaned as the pleasure washed over me, he smiled and nuzzled the sides of my breasts with his face. Continuing his gentle torture with his fingers he leaned over and kissed me. I took his face and cupped it between my hands "make love to me" I requested. For a second panic flared in his eyes at the sound of _that_ word and his body tensed, I pulled him forward and kissed his worry away until he was calm again.

Then he raised his head "I would be my pleasure" he whispered. He removed the rest of my clothing so slowly as if unwrapping a precious gift and then removed his own just as slowly. He then proceeded to tease every inch of me for an hour until I was practically panting with need for him. Then he eased himself inside me inch by agonizingly slow inch. He hugged my legs against his body and settled his hand against my hips encouraging me to lift my hips to his rhythm. It was maddeningly slow and I could feel every nuance of him inside me, his pubic bone ground against my clit and his cock slowly tortured my g-spot until I spent. I begged him to go faster, but he whispered that I just had to lie back and take what he had to give me. It was magnificent and lasted hours before he collapsed on me. He moved us so that we lay in bed together belly to belly on our sides. "Happy Birthday Lily" he said.

In a hesitant voice I began "Josh I want you to know that I…." I trailed off because he had fallen asleep. I smiled ruefully and pulled the covers over both of us. About an hour later he woke up, I laughed as the pupils in his eyes changed shape with every blink to adjust to the light. He seemed confused for a second where he was "Good morning, Kitty" I said.

He stretched "I sorry I must have fallen asleep, I should go before your guests arrive" he said sitting up to put his clothes back on.

"My guests are here," I said. He went silent. "I know that we agreed on no holidays but technically my birthday isn't a holiday. Would you mind spending the day with me?" I asked.

"But you have a lot of friends and I thought your family was coming to see you?" he said clearly confused.

"My family is coming tomorrow, I told them that I have plans for tonight." I pulled him back onto the bed with me. "Today I want to just hang out with you, attend the bike rally that is in town and have dinner with you and Tabby at a restaurant of your choice" I said giving him an encouraging smile.

He looked uncertain for a minute. "Please" I said.

He groaned, "You really are something. Of course, I do have to go into the shop for a bit to do a tattoo for about one hour but can take the day off after that"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you" I said flinging my arms around him and covering his face with kisses.

"Well Kiss Monster. Where shall we have dinner tonight? The choices might be a little limited, I doubt that I can get decent reservations on short notice."

"What is your favourite restaurant?" I asked.

"Nana and I go to this little diner close to our place every Thursday, it isn't fancy but the food is homemade and really good. She always gets their meatloaf"

"Do think they might have a table free for tonight?" I asked lifting an eyebrow at him.

"I am sure their reservation book is open" he said in amusement and watched me dress.

We went for breakfast and then back to my place. "Well, choose a Harley" I said indicating the ones on display.

"I can't drive one of these, they are far too valuable" he exclaimed

"We are going to a biker rally, you can't show up riding bitch on the back of mine. So choose one and we will be on our way. I trust you," I said patiently.

Finally after much groveling, whining and pouting on my part I managed to convince him to choose a soft tail and we removed it from the display case and were on our way. We wove in and out of traffic keeping each other in view and went into his tattoo palour. I looked at the flash sheets and said, "When should I get a tattoo?"

He paused in setting up his ink and said, "considering what I do for a living, this is going to sound odd, but I would hate to see anything marring the natural beauty of your skin."

I smiled at him "that is the sweetest thing I have ever heard".

His appointment came in and I opted to go next door to read and have a coffee until he was free. He came to get me, I laughed as a group of girls stared at him when he came in and looked a rather envious when he sat next to me. We stayed for another coffee and hit the rally.

"So are you sure that this is how you want to spend your birthday? A biker rally, dinner with my grandmother and myself and me spending the night at your place?"

"Will you spend the night? Will I wake up with you tomorrow?" I asked.

"If that is all that it takes to make you happy then yes" he said and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. I was so happy I leapt into his arms and kissed him hard. This elicited cat calls from the crowd. Our vintages bikes attracted a lot of attention and I explained the features of each one, surprising Josh with how much of a gear head I was.

We watched some trick riders and had a beer at the tent. It was a fun day and he allowed me to hold his hand through most of the rally. After we drove to pick up Tabby and took her to the diner. She looked way too cute perched on the back of my Harley that I asked someone to take a picture of all three of us.

******

I watched Lily sitting in the cracked plastic booth beside Nana and her thanking Nana for knitting her a pair of socks like she had just been handed the crown jewels. I thought how vastly different she was from my ex. Nancy had been a daddy's credit card, expensive everything, Sorority type of girl. They were like night and day. Then I felt guilty for thinking about Nancy at all.

Lily smiled at me and stole another fry off my plate; I retaliated by stealing part of her garlic bread.

After dinner she said "man you were right about the food, this place was awesome"

Nana eyed us "so are you going to be home at any point tonight Josh?" she asked shrewdly.

I put my arm around Lily "sorry not until tomorrow morning at the very earliest"

I watched in amusement as my tiny grandmother danced around. "Yah, looks like I might have grandchildren after all." Then she looked at Lily and asked. "You're not on the pill are you?"

I thumped her lightly on the back when Lily choked on the water that she was drinking and then blushed.

We dropped off Nana and Lily roared on ahead of me, she looked back at me as if flirting. I saw the car swerve sharply into her lane before she did. "Lily look out!" I yelled as it plowed into the side her bike. It fell over with a sickening crunching sound and she flew off hitting the ground hard. I pulled my bike over to the side of the road, parked it then leapt over to where she was. I stood over her and yelled at the nearest person, "call 911" she took one look at my fangs and pulled out her cell phone.

I knelt down and checked Lily out without moving her, her bone was sticking out the side of her leg and she was moaning in pain. I pulled off my leather jacket and put it over her, I then lay down beside her. She had once asked me if I could purr and I had told her no. That was not the case; Nekos can purr but not because we are being petted, it is to soothe mates and kits. I placed myself against her back and purred until she passed out. When the ambulance came the paramedic asked if I was related to her. Not being sure if I would be allowed to go with her if I was not family, I said that I was her fiancé. I am not sure if he believed me with my cheap clothing but allowed me to accompany her.

They performed surgery on her leg to repair the damage. I called her family using her cell phone contact list while I waited for it to be over. I left messages for the vampires and did manage to get her mother on the phone. I told her what had happened and was surprised when she seemed to know who I was. I gave her the hospital information and said that I would be here when they arrived. She thanked me and asked me to take care of Lily. I told her that I would.

They let me sit with her as she woke up from the surgery; I held her hand until she did. "Josh?" she said with her voice thick with sleep.

"I'm here," I said squeezing her hand.

"Could you stay with me?" she said.

"I promised you I would. Get some rest, I'll be here when you awake." I said and I stroked her hair until she fell back to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Yes you EL will get more Eric time in the next chapter. Obsidian

*****

Her grandfathers were the first to arrive; I recognized them from their photos. I realized that I must have dozed off with my head resting on Lily's bed and straightened up, my muscles groaning in protest. I stood up and extended my hand. "Hello, my name is Josh; you must be Lily's Grandpas. It is a pleasure to meet you" I said.

The blonde guy slammed me against the wall and snarled "What are you on boy. Crack? How dare you let this happen to her? Get out of my face, you white trash loser. Filth such as you should not even be permitted on the same planet with her!". I felt panicked and fled. I could her Lily cry my name but I had to get out of there, they didn't want me there; I always knew they wouldn't.

******

What I saw when I got into the room was a slim, pale fatigued-looking young man, who looked stressed and sleepy. He held my granddaughter's hand. I think that Eric was seeing a ne're-do-well drug addict rather then someone who was so concerned for our grandchild that he had allowed himself no comfort to stay with her until we arrived. I saw the look of panic on his face and then he jumped out the window. I went to Lily when she screamed his name "he is hurting, please find him Grandpa John"

I kissed her gently. "I will look after him," I promised her.

I grabbed Eric by the collar of his shirt and towed him outside. I realize that the sight of a seven-foot vampire towing a slightly smaller one might have been funny, but I was pissed and not the least bit amused. I slammed him against the wall."Eric that was uncalled for" I hissed.

"Why? That little punk did this to her" he hissed back.

"Was he the drunk driver? For fucks sakes, they rode separate motorcycles and he has been here taking care of her the entire time. Nice welcome to the family. You have to learn to think before you speak"

"What the hell is he to us? He is just some cheap trash!"

"He is the man she loves and I think he loves her too. At least he might have before you acted like a jerk. You are over one thousand years old! Isn't it time you grew up?" I asked. "Look you stay with Lily and look after her. I am going to do damage control"

I scented him and went to track him. As I was leaving I could hear Eric ask "So are our great grandchildren going to be human or kittens? Don't look so shocked, I have had sex before too, that is why you are here……"

******

I had run to the nearest dive bar that I knew of. I was where I belong; with the other dregs of humanity. I was angry and confused and feeling really low. I had just downed two beers and three tequila shots to try and stop my mind from racing. I felt guilty that I had left Lily alone after I had promised her that I was going to stay with her. But, she is better off without me and her family certainly didn't want me there.

"Can I buy you a drink?" someone asked. I looked up to see a drunken sluttishly dressed woman leering at me. I sighed; I was so not in the mood to be approached for sex tonight. But it might lift my spirits and help me to forget that I stupidly believed that someone like her could care about me. Her family will sweep Lily away and remind her about what hanging out with rough trade can bring about; pain. "Have a seat" I said in what I hope sounded like my normal voice. Then I felt someone touch my shoulder, I turned around and someone was kissing me. My eyes grew wide.

The person pulled away and stroked my cheek, I could only sit there stunned at being kissed by a man. He looked at my future drinking companion and said in a gay sounding voice. "Sorry girlfriend, he's mine". She walked away looking as stunned at myself. I recognized him right away, Lily's Grandpa John. A distant part of me noticed that yes a man can be beautiful as Lily said. He sat beside me and ordered a true blood then looked at me; there was sympathy in his eyes. That made me mad.

"What the fuck did you do that for?" I asked

"I prevented you from making the biggest mistake of your life" he replied.

"What do you care what happens to trash like me?" I asked bitterly.

"I care because Lily does. She asked me to look after you because she was worried what you might do so here I am."

"I am nothing to you. I am just some junk that she picked up for cheap thrills" I said.

"Is that how you see yourself? That is not the way that I do" he said and looked at me with some concern.

"Well, Eric obviously does"

"Don't worry about Eric, he overreacted. He likes using the term white trash; I have even seen him use it to describe an African Prince who was flirting with Lily. It isn't a class thing; we don't discriminate in this family like that."

"No? Well Lily seems to" I said and took another slug of my beer. Wondering why I was talking so easily with this vampire.

"Don't be fooled her fake snobbery. She likes to believe that she is, but she isn't. She has even tried dating those supposed snobs and they bored her to death and me too for that matter"

"So then you wouldn't mind her dating some pathetic loser like me? Yeah right, you would cut her off of the family teat"

"I can't cut her off; she has her own money and has controlled it since she was eighteen. She could elope to Vegas with a circus clown tomorrow and I couldn't say boo about it. Thankfully she has more sense then that" he said having a sip of his blood.

"How do you know that I am not just some gold digging gigolo after her money then?" I sneered.

"There is nothing expensive on your body clothing wise or jewelry wise and you drive a beat up old Honda. If you are a gigolo, you are pretty lousy at this. Look, would you just talk to me? I can see that you're hurting and wish to know why."

"Fine, my parents were shot and my fiancé dumped me soon after because she was rich and I was poor tattoo artist. She didn't like that in a future husband. End of story" I could feel the old pain resurface and tamped it down.

"No offense intended but it sounds like you are better off without her if she was so false. So you were grieving, in pain and went to her for comfort. And her response was to dump you? What a bitch. I would put my boot up my daughter or son's ass if they treated the person they are supposed to love with such disrespect and I am not a violent man"

"Oh and that is supposed to make me feel better? You're rich like them"

"There is being rich and being a jerk. I don't look down on people because of income level. The only thing that I ask of the people my children and grandchildren choose to be with is that they love them and treat them well" he replied and turned those expressive eyes on me again. "Josh, that girl was horrible to you. I know that you are so afraid to let anyone close that you have buried all your emotions. Are one night stands with strangers really all that good? You want someone to care about you, but you get scared when they do and try to push them away. Lily really does care about you; she wants to be with you. You have to allow yourself to grieve so that you can move on. It doesn't make you weak to ask someone for comfort"

I didn't even know that I was weeping until a tear fell into my pint. Then I felt myself being drawn against a powerful body, it didn't feel weird, the embrace was fatherly and soothing, I was reminded of my own father. When he began stroking my hair in a manner so like Lily, I broke down sobbing. She had discovered early on how much I like having my hair stroked, it sooths me. When I was done he gently released me. "I want to thank you for looking after her" he said causally as if nothing happened.

"I didn't do anything" I said softly.

"Not true, you arranged for your friend, who owns the Harley Shop to pick up the bikes, he already emailed me a quote to fix Lily's bike. You called us and updated us as to her condition. You stayed with her in the hospital and even went to buy her food so that she wouldn't have to eat hospital food. You attempted to keep her happy and entertained until we arrived. That is more then most people would have done."

A beautiful blonde vampire came into the bar and walked towards us. She looked at me over in a solicitous manner, her fangs ran out. Following the direction of my startled gaze, John turned around. He laughed. "Relax, she belongs to me. This is my wife Pam, Lily's grandmother"

She continued to look me over, but then seemed concerned. "Are you okay?" she took a tissue out of her purse and tenderly wiped my face. The gesture was appreciated and I allowed myself to be fussed over. "You're the one that painted that beautiful picture of Lily!" she exclaimed. "We were admiring it when Sookie and I went to get some clothes for her. Think you could do one of me?"

"Later Pam" said John with a tender smile. Then he turned back to me and said "Josh, I have no objection to you dating my grandchild. I have read the report the detective did and it says that you have an excellent reputation and so does your shop, that you are recognized as being a promising young artist and take good care of your grandmother. There is nothing to object to"

"Yeah well, I sure she is not interested anyway"

"I am afraid to tell you this but she is interested and you won't get rid of her too easily even if you weren't. The women in this family choose the man they want and will go to any lengths to get him"

"It's true, I had to pursue this one for over one hundred years" said Pam.

"Wasn't I worth it?" he said smiling at his wife, the tender look they shared was painful for me to watch.

"Why would she choose me? She could get anyone she wants." I said bitterly.

"She would choose you because you are who she wants. It is as simple as that. It isn't so bad. When was the last time you slept with another girl besides Lily?" he asked.

"When I started sleeping with her" I replied.

"Give that some thought, it sounds to me like your mind is already made up. So Eric is going to give Lily some of his blood to heal her and will bring her home. Drink up, you need to get some sleep" John advised.

******

"I think that he is asleep" said Pam. I glanced back to see that our gorgeous passenger had indeed relaxed in sleep.

"Damn, he is hot" observed Pam.

"And I'm not?" I asked a little hurt.

"Of course you are, but he is seriously cute too"

"I doubt that Lily will want to share him" I said to her.

"So they are in love?"

"Beyond a doubt, he just doesn't know it yet" I replied.

"Typical male"

"Agreed"

"So where are we taking him? He didn't give an address" asked Pam.

"We are taking him to Lily's and putting him into her bed. Eric is going to be bringing her home soon. He needs comfort and she needs to know where he is, this way both objectives can be achieved" I replied. We arrived at our destination and I scooped the slight weight of the sleeping boy into my arms. "Why does it seem like I am always carrying around our offspring's mates?"

"If you don't want to carry him; I will" said my lovely wife who appeared to be bent on making me jealous.

"No that is okay" I said setting him on the bed and removing his shoes.

"Perhaps we should undress him?" Pam suggested with a leer.

"That is left up to Lily" I replied. I paused to look at the painting. "That really is gorgeous" I remarked.

"Yes it is" said Pam staring down at Josh.

I pulled her from the room. "Come on woman, I think it is time for me to remind you of who are you actually married to" I said towing her towards the light proof that I use on my visits. She looked pretty happy with the idea.

"So do you think that he will ever realize that he is good enough for her?" she asked me.

"I don't know?"

"Well, perhaps her birth control pills can be replaced with duds? Nothing forces a wedding about like a big belly. I am sure the Lily would thank me later" Pam said craftily.

I stopped short "you are not to do that!" I said sharply. "They will work this out together. Unless it takes many years for him to get over his hang up; then we will _think_, only think about your last suggestion" I scooped her up into my arms and dashed her into the bedroom, her laughter echoed down the hallway.


	8. Chapter 8

"Relax Lily, your cat is fine. John found him at a bar and he is sleeping off the effects at your place. You can see him as soon as you get home." I said patiently. She seemed really upset about that young whelp.

"Grandpa, please call him by his name; it is Josh. Please stop calling him 'cat, kitty or anything else like that'" she said stubbornly. "He wasn't there long enough to get drunk; he is exhausted because he was trying to make a nice present for me instead of sleeping and has been looking after me today." She became silent.

"Are you in pain?" I asked carefully.

She looked at her elevated leg, already the scabs around her stitches were fading. She seemed distressed by this.

"Your grandma Pam will be able to remove those stitches tomorrow evening so you won't have to go back to the hospital. It shouldn't hurt, but there will be a scar." I said soothingly.

"Josh doesn't want me scarred. He thinks my skin in perfect and scar free."

"Lily, someone who really cares about you isn't going to worry about a scar. Or do you think that your ca-Josh is so shallow a person" I asked gently.

"What if he only likes me because he thinks I am pretty?" she asked bitterly. "It is not like other girls like me have been great to him."

I pulled sharply over to the side of the road and looked at her. I touched her shoulder. "Lily, there are no other girls like you and I am sure he realizes that. If he doesn't then he is the biggest fool on this planet."

"I think that I am in love with him Grandpa Eric. Does that bother you?" her eyes pleaded with me to accept it.

I shook my head grudgingly "no it doesn't, he seems like a decent man and I intend to apologize for my behaviour towards him earlier. Do you think that you could get used to saying "meet my husband, he is a tattoo artist"?" I asked.

Her eyes showed amusement "yes I could, but he is definitely not ready for that yet."

"Oh well, at least he isn't a bloody Were. I like the idea of a Neko Demon a lot more then that." I muttered to her.

******

I heard someone softly open the door and opened my eyes. I was still weary, but realized that I was in Lily's bed; I recognized the scent of her immediately.

"It's only me" whispered John. "You fell asleep so we brought you here. There is someone who wishes to see you" he said and placed Lily on the bed besides me.

"Josh?" she said reaching for me in the dark, I smiled; I kept forgetting that she doesn't have my night vision.

I hugged her tightly against me, practically drinking in the scent of her. "I'm sorry I left like that. I didn't mean to worry you" I said brushing her hair back, I could feel tears on her cheeks and kissed them away.

Her Grandpa nodded at me and backed noiselessly out of the room.

"I was so worried about you. You seemed so upset." she said.

"Honey, you shouldn't be worried about me, you were the one that got in the accident tonight" her eyes softened when I said this.

"It is true that you were thinking about going home with another girl" she asked. Her voice was so hurt that it broke my heart.

"Yes, it occurred to me for about half a second. I want you to know that I haven't been with another woman since the night we first made love" I said sincerely. She smiled at my using the L word. "I don't want to be with anyone but you. Do you still want me or have I been too much of an idiot?" She turned on the bedside lamp so that she could see my face as I said this.

"You've been crying" said she with some concern touching my swollen eyelids. "What's wrong?"

"I talked some things over with your Grandfather at the bar and he made me realize what I jerk I have been to you. I have been utterly prejudiced against your class and against you. I have insulted you and used you. All you wanted to do was show me that you desired my beyond sex and I blocked you at every turn. I do care about you too and want you to know that" I said sincerely.

She smiled "you've discovered Grandpa John's talent; bringing people out of their shells. Of course I want you, I love you Josh" she said craftily stroking my hair to relax me. I felt a surge of panic, but that died quickly to my surprise. "I know you aren't ready to say it back to me, I can wait. All I ask is: no more sneaking away at night; I want to wake up beside you"

"I promise, it was getting harder and harder to leave you at the end of each night" I admitted.

She kissed me hard and then yelped when she tried to shift her leg.

"Easy, you just got out of surgery, vampire blood or not" I said laying her back and elevating her leg to look at it.

"I wanted to make love to you" she said ruefully as I helped her undress so that I could examine her wound. I carefully looked at it.

"There is plenty of time for that when you are healed" I said kissing her. "It looks like it is going to scar" I commented.

She looked sad "I won't be unmarred how you like me" she said.

"I don't care about that as long as you are okay" I assured her and draped her comforter over her perfect body. "We should get some rest" I suggested, I had barely gotten any sleep for a week between making love to Lily until late each night, working a full day in the shop and trying to get her picture done on time. I was physically and emotionally exhausted.

"Josh, you should move in with me" she suggested.

"You don't waste any time, Lily. What about Nana? I couldn't just leave her at the old apartment" I pointed out.

"Are you kidding, this place is huge! I want to move you, her and every last chintz, ruffle and doily that she owns here, including her tea collection. Just think, you would have room to paint, you can lease out the old apartment because you own the building and I get to sleep with you every night and wake beside you every morning. It is a win win situation for everyone" she proclaimed happily.

I laughed at her enthusiasm "You minx, we don't have to decide this tonight. Are you hungry?" I asked with a grin.

"Oh, you shall move in, I have ways of convincing you" she said smugly. "I am a little hungry and thirsty but....." She didn't even finish that sentence while I leaped over the edge of the loft to go to the kitchen.

******

All of us were sitting around the table perhaps looking dour, we had been joined by Sookie, Tyla and Cameron, but instead we were discussing the possible future to Josh and Lily.

"I have no objection to Lily being with a tattoo artist but I think he should consider finishing his degree so he will be more comfortable with her snobbier friends" suggested Tyla.

"That is a good idea. But he owns the shop and doesn't have a manager" pointed out Eric.

"Who do we know who is an excellent manager and retired?" I said looking at him.

"Yes, but Derek is seventy five and knows nothing about running a tattoo shop" objected Sookie.

"True Sook, but he knew nothing about running a vampire bar either and that turned out okay" said Eric.

"Good, then we will call him and suggest the idea when they become official. I said. "I suspect he will probably be moving in with her soon, if I know Lily. So I shall have the deed to the warehouse transferred to her name"

"You know, some couples go slower these days and don't automatically move in together" pointed out Sookie.

I shrugged, "he is here practically every night anyway, during the day wouldn't make any difference. Also he is a painter; he can use my old studio"

Pam looked at me "you paint too? Keeping things from me again" she said with a fond smile.

Eric winced "no he doesn't. I saw those pictures; pure junk."

"Shall I tell them about the jewelry making phase that you went through?" I asked him shrewdly.

Eric hissed "you said you wouldn't tell"

The rest looked questioningly at me "he really made horrible jewelry. I can show you some pieces later" I suggested brightly.

"Speaking of which, considering that Tyla picked an emerald engagement ring because it matched her eyes. What do you think a person with cat's eyes is going to pick; a tiger eye?" asked Eric.

"What engagement ring?" asked a voice. "Who's getting married?" We turned to see an exhausted looking Josh, still wearing his tank top and blood splattered jeans.

Tyla looked alarmed at the sight of his fanged teeth and cat eyes for a second, then recovered and shook his clawed tipped hand. "We are discussing the upcoming wedding of a relative" she said smoothly. "You must be Josh; I was looking forward to meeting the man who was so thoughtful about taking care of my daughter. This is her father, Cameron"

******

"I sorry to have startled you, Lily prefers to see my real face when I am here so I didn't think to shield. Pleasure to meet you" I looked down at my worn clothing and blood splattered jeans. I looked back at the attractive couple who seemed to be in their late thirties. "I was hoping to be dressed a tad better when I met Lily's relatives" I said ruefully.

"Don't worry about that, I spoke with your Grandmother and I am going to pick up clothing for you tomorrow morning then we are taking the both of you to dinner later so we can all get to know each other. However, you look exhausted and should go to sleep" Tyla lectured me.

"You really are Lily's mother, she bosses me around all the time" I said with a rueful grin. I yawned and focused on making myself look more human.

"Don't worry about hiding your real features; you look just fine as you are" she admonished. "Yes, being bossy is a feature most of our females share"

"Speak for yourself Tyla" said Sookie and gave her a tender smile. "Is there something that we can get for you?" she asked me.

"Lily is thirsty and hungry like me, so I was just going to get us a snack" I replied yawning again and then apologized.

Tyla started herding me towards the stairs. "You should have just called down. Do you like bagels, lox and cream cheese?" she asked.

"Yes cats like fish" I said amused.

"Good, I will make up a couple bagels a couple of glasses of sweet tea and bring them up to you. You get back to bed!" she ordered.

"You are ordering me to get back in bed with your daughter? Yes, you are not a normal family" I said and allowed myself to be pushed from the room.

"Sleep is the only thing you are doing tonight" she admonished.

"There is always tomorrow night" Pam yelled after me.

Tyla went into the kitchen to fix the food and drinks, she was joined by Pam and Sookie.

******

"It takes three women to prepare some sandwiches?" asked Eric in a startled voice.

"Nothing brings out the maternal instincts so much as a sleepy, attractive young man" I explained.

******

I remained clothed until Tyla brought the tray and we ate, then at Lily's insistence I took off all my clothes and lay down beside her, drawing her into my arms. She sighed and hugged the side of my body resting her head on my shoulder. For the second time in our relationship I fell asleep in her arms. I felt, happy and contented and loved.


	9. Chapter 9

See, it is not the end. Don't worry, when it actually is, I shall let you know.

Thanks for all the nice reviews everyone. Keep them coming reviews are sexy! Obsidian

******

I looked down at the black jeans with blue sweater combination that my grandmother had sent me over to wear. "I thought we were going out to dinner? Aren't I underdressed?" I asked Lily in confusion.

"Well if you want to wear a suit to the Red Lobster that is up to you" she said giving me a soft kiss.

"Your family goes to the Red Lobster?" I was amused by this.

"When dining with a vampire in a fancy restaurant where everyone is looking for celebrities, it is too apparent they aren't eating. But, if you go to a crowded family restaurant, no one really notices because they are too busy trying to keep Jr. from putting spaghetti into his sister's hair" she explained.

"So this is why your family rarely appears in the gossip columns" I mused.

"That and we are hardly tobacco heirs or anything; our family wealth is based on vampire gained capital so people ignore us for the most part. We live discreetly and don't go in for publicity; we don't live in mansions, we don't host charity balls or have outrageously expensive parties for family members." she explained.

"Well Lily you did have a sweet sixteen party" said Tyla who joined the conversation.

"Yes at a bowling alley with a pizza party" she said to me. "I insisted because I had never bowled before, I got a strike on my first try"

I laughed at the idea of a sixteen year old Lily running around in rented bowling shoes. "So you are not a Paris Hilton and won't be jetting off to Paris tomorrow?" I asked in a posh voice.

"Well we can use Grandpa's John jet whenever we want. As for Paris, he has a turn of the century townhouse that was literally built at the turn of the century" she said with a shrug.

"You own a private jet?" I asked John is a startled voice.

He shrugged, "before the great revelation there was no such thing as Air Anubis. Having staff you can trust and you own jet was the best way to travel. Even posing as a deceased loved one on a regular airline was risky. So I bought a jet"

"That does make sense" I said. It was only my second day knowing this eccentric family and I already felt comfortable with them. I guess it was perhaps kindred spirits in the art of concealment. Any animal demon worth their salt knows the value of that.

We went to pick up Nana who wore her favourite grey dress and I kid you not, granny boots. On meeting Lily's grandparents and parents she said "hubba hubba, I wish my grandfathers had looked that that" This caused both Eric and John to gloat.

"Well, I wish I had met Josh's grandfather when I was still single" said Pam with a friendly smile.

"Hands off, you and I are almost the same age. He was mine. But if you wanted to know what he looked like, just look at Josh. They are practically identical" replied Nana.

Pam looked me over and her fangs ran out again "was he as well packaged?" she asked as discreetly Pam can get; and my grandmother.

"They grow them big in our family" Nana said bluntly and then I was suddenly being serendipitously studied by a bunch of people, more out of curiosity then anything. I crossed my legs to thwart their gazes and could feel myself blush.

"Nana" I groaned.

"Now now, you should be proud of how well endowed you are Josh?" she chided me.

"How large is that?" asked the still fangy Pam.

"Another person that the Ob/Gyn is going to have to worry about" said Eric waggling his eyebrows. I looked at him questioningly but he only looked innocently back at me.

"Larger then average I suspect" said John attempting to take the pressure off of me.

"It could keep the rain off me in a monsoon" chimed in Lily.

Then everyone laughed at my expense, except for Sookie who gave all those present a lecture about keeping a prudent tongue in one's head. Which Pam countered by suggesting where else to keep a prudent tongue and it all kind of went downhill from there until we got to the restaurant where lots of small children precluded any more penis talk.

We were seated and those who weren't vampires ordered food and the rest drank true blood in a glass.

"So, I am just wondering what you are planning to us as a title for yourselves for each new generation? Introducing someone as your great-great-great grandfather would be hard on a child" pointed out Nana.

"I'm not sure what the next generation shall call us" said John "Any suggestions Josh?" asked John. I was so shocked about this question being addressed to me that I choked on a fish bone. "Are you okay? Here have some water" he said giving me an innocent smile in answer to my stricken look.

"Shouldn't you be asking Lily's future husband that question at their society wedding" I asked back. Everyone looked at me and burst out laughing.

"What society wedding? Eric and Sookie got married at the court house, Pam and I did our ceremony in a barn and then did the legal one at the court house and Cameron and Tyla got married in a small restaurant, it was nice but nothing fancy. Who do you think we are, the Rockefellers?" inquired John. "None of our children ever came out, or attending Cotillions. Heck, they only wore white dresses at their weddings and one was heavily pregnant that day" he said smiling at Tyla. who threw a bread roll at him. "And another one already had a child" he said to Sookie, who threw another bread roll at him.

"So moralistic Dad, if you and Mom would have been human then there would have been sixteen of us with all the sex you two have" said Tyla.

Cameron looked at me and said "no society weddings, we only have family traditions." He smiled mysteriously when he said that. He looked at John and Eric "Is it my turn this time?"

"Sure you can have the honour" said Eric. All I could do was look from one to the other thoroughly confused.

"Uncle John, do you mind if Josh and Tabby move in with me? When he is ready that is" she said looking at me.

"Sure, it would be nice for you to have some company in the building you own."

"I own it? Since when?" she asked.

"Since today, the lawyers are drawing up the papers and will give them to you later this week. I don't need the place anymore and this way you can make any renovations you wish to put in without my having to authorize it."

"What sort of renovations would I need to do?" asked Lily confused.

"Well you can change the dimensions of the rooms, say if you need to add a nursery for example" said John smiling at my shocked face. "You could convert the downstairs into a tattoo palour if Josh wants to sell his building or if you want to start a home based business. The place is quite large and the land can be built on with the proper permits."

"I like the nursery part" chimed in Tabby.

"Me too" said Pam.

"By the way I must compliment you on the name of your shop, Katmandu Tattoos is almost as good as Fangtasia" said Eric. I was surprised that anything about me impressed him.

After we went back to Lily's, she and I excused ourselves and went up onto the barbeque terrace.

"This is a great idea, but I am not ready to move in with you yet" I said.

"Even if the warehouse already has an artist studio ready for you?" she said mischievously.

"Really? I will think about it" I said laughing at her persistence.

She moved closer to me and undid my pants "what are you doing?" I asked fully aware of the sharp vampire ears downstairs.

"Trying to persuade you" she said lowering herself onto my lap; apparently she forgot to wear panties under her skirt.

A Couple of Months Later

I was walking towards the warehouse after a long day in the shop. People had wanted nothing creative, just flash tattoos or my phone number.

I stopped by the tea shop that had been added into the side of the building, again I admired the sign that I had painted; it read "Tabby's Tas-Tea" and showed a tabby cat wearing an old fashioned nightgown and nightcap. I went inside to see the elderly ladies perched amongst lots of plants on our old living room furniture. Nana gave me a hug and handed me a blueberry scone. She watched me sternly to make sure that I ate it, and then went back to her bridge game.

I went to the back entrance and let myself into the main warehouse. "I'm home. Where are you Lily?" I called.

A muffled voice called me into the garage that was set up there. I admired the long limbed blonde woman wearing battered jeans, a black tank top with a bandana tried kerchief style to hold her hair back as she worked on a Harley. She turned to smile at me. I laughed; she had a spot of grease on the end of her nose. I compared this image of her to the spoiled college girl that I met at a bar in Fort Lauderdale; I preferred this one.

"I love you" I said for the first time to her.

"About time you said it" she said grabbing me and kissing me, getting greasy handprints all over my white t-shirt.

"Looks like I will have to change before I start dinner" I said ruefully, it was my night to cook.

"Dinner can be late; I want you to eat me first" she said towing me in the direction of our bedroom loft. Suddenly the long boring day looked a heck of a lot better.


	10. Chapter 10

Short chapter, but I wanted to make this one count :) Obsidian

******

Lily and I had been invited to a party but as soon as I saw her in her black party dress I decided that I would rather stay in and try to get her back out of it. She wasn't too hard to persuade of this idea. We had been together for two years now.

******

Josh undressed me and placed me across the large soft ottoman in our living room; he admired me as if I was a priceless statue. He leaned over to take one of my nipples in his mouth while his fingertips lightly glided down my skin to gently massage my nub with his thumb. It was enough to tease me but not to give me release, I tried to raise my hips to increase the pressure and he put a hand on my belly to hold me in place while continuing his exquisite torture. He continued to suck on my nipples one after the other then lightly blowing on the moist peaks to that they would get even harder. Noticing the frustrated look on my face, he kissed his way down my belly applying his rather rough tongue to some very sensitive areas. He parted the lips of my sex and applied just a little more pressure on my nub, causing me to whimper. "You have such a pretty pussy" he whispered and then leaned forward and replaced his thumb with his tongue. I hissed at the feeling of the slightly rough cat tongue laving so sensitive a place, he allowed his finger to glide down and slip inside me massaging my sensitive flesh. He teased me for an hour this way, keeping me on the golden edge of climax but allowing no release. "What would you like?" he said in a playful voice, clearly enjoying my displeasure. I was shaking and panting with the need to cum at this point.

"You" I gasped.

"Then you shall have me" he said triumphantly and positioned himself at my entrance. I gasped when he filled me, loving the feeling of being stretched around him. I was so pent up that I had an orgasm within two seconds as he started to thrust into me. He smiled with amusement and proceeded to give me another one; I seemed to slip seamlessly from one to another. I was thoroughly enjoying the feeling of him lovingly stroking himself within me, his moans bestial as before, filling the room with my own. He cried out as he met his own crisis and I could feel him coating my cervix with his hot seed. I gasped at the liquid heat and came myself. Afterwards, we lay contentedly in each other's arms. "Promise you will be mine forever" I whispered. He stroked my face "I promise" he swore.

A Month Later

I was getting ready to go into the shop and went to say goodbye to Lily. I heard the unmistakable sounds of someone puking in the washroom and knocked softly on the door "Lily Honey, are you okay?" I asked.

The door opened and she came out looking pale and wane. Concerned, I helped her over to a chair and had her sit down. "What's wrong?" I asked stroking back her back.

"I don't know, probably just coming down with the flu or something" she replied.

"Perhaps I shouldn't go in today; Wayne can handle my appointments. Would you like me to stay home?" I asked.

"Don't be silly" she said hugging me. "I'm sure that Tabby has some sort of tea that will fix me right up. I will stop by her shop and ask her for some in a bit. You go to work" she said.

I hesitated and then said "okay, I'm going in, but you have to promise me that you will take it easy today and call me if you feel worse. I will go see Nana and ask her about the tea. What are the symptoms?"

"The usual for the flu, nausea and stomach cramps" she replied.

"Okay you lie down and I will be right there to tuck you in" I ordered her.

"You are such a worry wart" she said lovingly.

I went to see Nana and explained about Lily's stomach problems. If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn that her eyes lit up. She nodded in understanding. "What she needs I don't normally carry in tea bag form but I can blend it from my loose teas"

"Then please do Nana" I said patiently. I watched as she carefully measured tealeaves into a teapot, taking each scoop from neatly labeled jars, she reminding me slightly of a witch about to cast a spell. Then she filled the pot with hot water to let the tea steep. When it was ready she put it on a tray with a cup and saucer, these had a kitten chasing a ball of yarn of them I noticed with amusement, a napkin and a tea strainer.

"Tell her to drink as much of the pot as she can. Also tell her that she will need to drink this tea every morning until her symptoms clear up" All of this was said in a solemn tone of voice.

"Okay, I'll tell her" I said confused why Nana was making such a big deal about Lily getting the flu. I picked up the tray and took it to our bedroom.

******

I waited until Josh was gone and then I removed a picture from the wall; behind it was the wall safe that Lily had insisted on getting installed for me. I don't keep much in there, just the few valuable pieces of jewelry that I possess and some of my more rare teas that I don't wish to share. I reached to the very back and pulled out the package of birth control pills, I kissed them and put them back.

I then dialed a number that I know off the top of my head. "Hey Vampy Girl, do I have some news for you" I said when I got her voice mail.


	11. Chapter 11

AN Just so you know that Josh shall not remain a jerk he is just really confused and disappointed for reasons which shall be revealed in the next chapter. Obsidian

******

I forced myself to drink the entire pot of tea and fell asleep for a short while. When I woke up I felt as good as new. I gathered our clothes together and threw them into the washer and then went to see Tabby to thank her for the tea. I went to pour myself a cup of orange pekoe, but she stopped me and directed me to choose one that was decaffeinated. I thought it was a little strange but took a cup of one of the sorts that she recommended.

"I don't know where you learned to brew that tea, but I feel one hundred percent better" I said smiling at her and snagging a cherry danish.

"It is an old family recipe, my mother used to brew it for me when I was in your condition" she explained.

"It cures the flu? You should sell it to medical science, my mother would probably buy it from you" I mused.

"It cures morning sickness" she said softly.

I could feel the teacup slip from my nerveless fingers and was surprised when the senior Neko Demon caught it before a drop spilled. "But that is impossible, I am on the pill" I whispered in a stunned voice.

"No birth control is supposed to be infallible" she pointed out.

"How will Josh react to this? He isn't ready to be a father" I said in despair.

"He will react how his grandfather did, he is going to roar a bit and then get down on one knee. He will not think you got pregnant on purpose; it is not like you are after him for his money" she pointed out.

"I need to take pregnancy test before I tell him" I said.

I was startled when 190 year old Tabby bounded out the door in a dead run. In a few minutes she returned with two pink boxes. I asked why she chose this particular type and she just shrugged and said "I thought that the baby on the cover was cute".

I went into the washroom and did the first test while Tabby prepared a pot of tea to get me ready for the second one; I brought out the innocuous looking stick and carefully set it down on a towel. Tabby handed me a cup of tea and took my hand for moral support. Both of us gripped onto each other's hands with equal parts of excitement and fear while we watched the window waiting for the results.

******

One of my appointments had to cancel, leaving me with an hour's time window open. So I decided to pick up some chicken soup from the deli and have lunch at home with Lily and Tabby to see how Lily was feeling.

I ordered enough soup for all three of us and picked up some crusty rolls to go with it. On impulse I noticed that the flower shop had gotten Irises, which were Lily's favourite flower so I picked some up for her. It was kind of funny that Lily wasn't into Lilies but she explained that she used to get those all the time because of her name and got sick of them.

******

"You should do the other test too just to be sure" she advised as I stared with surprise at the results of the first one, not sure how to feel.

"Shouldn't I just go to a doctor?" I asked.

She nodded "that is the next step, but you are going to have to modify your eating and drinking habits anyway until you know for sure. Josh is going to wonder why won't have a beer with him as you normally do when he gets home."

I sat down thinking about all the beer that I had consumed and unconsciously touched my belly. "I didn't start my next pack of birth control because I never got my period. But I did drink. How might that affect the baby?" I asked fear in my voice.

"You are hardly an alcoholic; one an evening should not make that much difference." She said soothingly.

She held out the other test and I took it and went through the steps again. I set it down on the towel in front of us. I stared at it as if it was a crystal ball that would tell my future, I barely felt the claw tipped hand stroking my shoulder for moral support.

******

Assuming that Nana was in her shop and not wanting to wake Lily I slipped noiseless into our home. I heard Lily gasp from the direction of the dining room and I ran there as fast as I could in case she was in pain. I found her and Nana seated at the table staring at something in Lily's hand. "What are you looking at?" I asked curious.

Lily flinched and dropped whatever it was that she was holding, I caught it before it hit the floor. I glanced at the white stick in my hand and froze when I recognized it for what it was; a pregnancy test, I had never seen on up close before but heck, I've seen the commercials. I also remember what else the commercial taught me, that a + sign meant that you were pregnant. My heart lurched in my chest and I slowly raised my head to look at Lily. She looked like she wanted to be far, far away from here. "Lily what is the meaning of this?" I asked unnecessarily, knowing full well what it meant.

"I just found out now" she replied. "I would have told you if I had known earlier" she said softly, she looked terrified.

"I thought you were on the pill" I said trying to control my temper. She flinched as if I had slapped her.

"I am! I didn't do this on purpose!" she cried.

"Well, obviously you did something or this wouldn't have happened!" I snarled. "I told you the importance of birth control when it comes to my sperm count. I would have used condoms to but you refused to let me. Was this the reason?" I added sarcastically. I knew I was being unfair, but I was too angry to care at the moment.

"I didn't mean for this to happen!" she screamed back at me.

"Are you sure? Perhaps you just wanted to get me to propose to you as have been hinting since our first month together"

"That is unfair! I said I was willing to wait until you were ready. I never wanted to force your hand. This was an accident!" she yelled.

"So should we get this taken care of then?" I suggested coolly, her eyes when wide at what I was implying.

She started sobbing "I won't do that. If you don't want this baby then I do"

Nana looked at me and said "get out. How dare you even suggest that idea? I am disappointed in you."

"Gladly, I'll be staying at the shop until further notice" I said and left.

******

I put my arms around the sobbing young woman. "He'll come around and realize that this is the best thing that ever happened to him" I assured her.

When Pam had suggested the idea, I was all for it. We had just intended for Josh to get over his fear of marriage; after the Nancy debacle he told me that he would never marry. I had thought he would be a little angry and then marry Lily. God knows how much he loves her. Now it looks like I might have been wrong.


	12. Chapter 12

As I stomped down the street I was already regretting what I said to Lily, I was confused and lashing out; of course I didn't want her to abort our child. I love Lily, but was frustrated because this will ruin all of my plans.

Of course I was planning to ask her to marry me but I wanted to wait until she was older, twenty two is awfully young to get married. I know that she wanted to and was waiting for me to ask but I don't want to deprive her of her college days. She should be partying on a beach in Barcelona dressed as a playboy bunny rather then worrying about a grumpy husband at home with a supernatural sperm count.

She is the best thing that has ever happened to me, it was on her suggestion that Nana opened the shop. She found the contractor. She suggested using the furniture that we already owned. She was the one that found the second hand display cases and helped me refinish them. She is the one that suggested that we sew the curtains ourselves and do the murals on the walls. It was a labour of love and pretty much a do it yourself project. She even learned how to bake so that we could make our own pastries, cakes, pies and cookies until we found someone to do it for us full time. She was horrible at first; you could have walked on her pie crusts. Yet she persevered and became really talented in the end. Knowing that we wouldn't accept charity, she worked out a payment plan with Nana, for her to pay a little each week until it is paid back in full.

She is a delight to live with and not pretentious in the least. One time I suggested that we go out to an upscale restaurant, the food was superb and the wine wonderful. However after there we wound up at a pool hall and she won every game. She told that her mother taught her how to play. We ended up splitting a pitcher of beer and an order to chicken wings because we were still hungry. She is so unlike my ex who, wouldn't be seen in a restaurant that was rated fewer than four stars.

I got to my shop and folded out the cot that I keep there in my office while I waited for my next customer to arrive. I managed to make it through the day without killing anyone. After I closed the shop, I picked up my cell phone to call Lily to say I was on my way home, but then I remembered about our fight and set it down.

I picked up the bank book that I keep at the office so that she won't find it. Checking the account balance of $20,000.00 that I had saved up only made me more frustrated. My biggest secret, I have been saving because I wanted to pay for our wedding. I know that her family probably would cover it, but I wanted to do it myself. I wanted something more elaborate then the small ones that her family members seem to prefer.

I was planning to use the heirloom engagement ring that has been given to all brides in my family for the past three generations. It was a natural black pearl with diamond chips in a white gold setting. My great-grandfather had had it custom designed for my great-grandmother as her name was Pearl. My ex knew of its existence but didn't want something that was not a diamond. However Lily had seen it once on Nana's finger and loved it; she had no idea that it was the family engagement ring.

I ordered in some dinner and realized how lonely I felt without someone snatching parts of my delivery food and giving me parts of her own. Not to mention Nana's cheerful voice telling me about her day. I picked up my cell phone and called Lily only to have Nana pick up the phone.

"Josh, I am surprised that you decided to grace us with a call" she said sarcastically.

"Nana, I am sorry about earlier, I was in shock and not thinking straight. You know that I didn't mean what I said? Right?"

"Yes, I understand, but I am not sure that Lily wants to deal with you right now considering that you suggested that she abort your baby" she admonished.

I groaned, remembering how I said that horrible thing "I don't want her to, I love her and will be there for her. I promise"

"That is for her to decide, Boy"

"Of course, I understand that. May I talk to her?" I humbly requested.

"She just finished crying herself to sleep. Honestly Josh, I thought you were raised better then this"

"Could you please tell her that I love her and would like to talk to her tomorrow morning?"

"Do you have any clue what her relatives and herself have done for us?"

"Yes, we have benefited financially" I said sarcastically.

Nana paused and said gently to me "I wasn't talking about that, they made you a whole and happy person again. I missed the real you after that Texan Bitch"

I flinched at my grandmother swearing but then said "We will work this out, I promise never to be like that again"

******

I could hear Nana talking to Josh on the phone and so longed to pick up the extension just so that I could hear his voice. My tears started again, I don't know where all of them are coming from, and I am surprised I am not dehydrated. I missed him horribly but know that he probably won't want to see me again, even though I did nothing wrong! I don't know how I can be pregnant! Yet, part of me is excited about the idea of a child running towards me with cat eyes and chocolate brown hair. Boy or girl, who cares. Then I pictured Josh beside me in that image and broke down in sobs. Even if he did believe that I didn't get pregnant on purpose, there would always be lingering doubt.

I reached over for his pillow and rested my head on that one instead, it smelled like him and I drifted away into sleep surrounded by his scent as I do every night.

******

When I pictured Lily and I married I had always imagined children in the mix, but later on when her wilder days were behind her. I know that she is worried that I am going to seek another Neko Demon to mate with. But I am not like the rest of my family who got sick of trying to pretend to be human and sought their own type to breed with. I personally don't care if the blood gets watered down like some, there are plenty Nekos in the world; we aren't a dying breed like the fae. She already knows what I am and her family should have no problem accepting our cute little halflings. They are certainly not in the norm themselves.

I tried to sleep but kept replaying the argument in my mind. I knew that fairly soon I was going to get a phone call from one of her relatives, I am hoping Gentle John, Tyla or Sookie; imagine my shock when it was my biggest fan; Eric.

"Josh, I want to know how much you need" he said stiffly.

I went ridged at the implication "How much to make myself scarce from your granddaughter's and our literally demon spawn's life?" I asked coldly.

He paused as if in shock "no, I meant if you cannot afford to buy Lily a ring I was going to offer to loan you the money" he replied.

Now I paused in shock "You want me to marry Lily? I thought you hated me?"

"I do not hate you; I like you a lot more then her previous boyfriends. But the fact of the matter is I don't think it is right for a child to be born out of wedlock"

"So this would embarrass you?" I said sarcastically

"No a child needs its mother and its father. It would be different if you were dead rather then acting like an idiot as you are now" he replied.

"Thanks" I said dryly.

"I want Lily to be happy and if that means she is with you, so be it"

"Really?"

"I suggest that you fix this or I will come there and drain you. Kapish?" he said with an edge in his voice.

"Yes, Eric. I will get together with Lily and we shall work this out" I promised.

"Good, you do that. You really are a Pisher Josh; I don't like Pishers" he said and hung up.

I tried to sleep but kept waking up because I was too used to having a warm body nestled in my arms. So I just started pondering things. I was frustrated by the fact that every marriage in my family that I know of started with the words "I'm pregnant"; the super sperm thing again. I wanted better for Lily and myself.

I started thinking back on our life together and remembering the good times, like the time that I almost broke my back creating a proper terrace on her sparsely furnished roof by lugging tree and plants up the stairs and landscaping the whole thing. She cried when she saw it.

I found myself missing her; it was like a part of me was missing. Then I realized that she was only ten minutes walk from where I was. Then I realized the pointlessness of what I was doing. Why am I sleeping in the office of a tattoo shop when the woman I love is hurting? What sort of a monster am I?

I sat up and realized how unfair I was being. Of course she didn't get pregnant on purpose, she would never do that. How it happened, we will never know. However, she is having a baby. _My baby_ and if I don't stop acting like a jerk then I will lose both of them. It was not like we were poor, my shop is fairly lucrative and she is independently wealthy.

Here I am pouting because I won't get my dream wedding and judging when she will be old enough to marry. How is that up to me? Did I ever ask her opinion about either thing? No. I am the selfish bastard in all of this. I jumped out the window of my office and sprinted towards my home, our home. I refuse to wait until the morning to apologize. I noiselessly let myself in and padded softly to our loft. She lay sleeping; looking like an angel. I softly touched her back trying to wake her gently. She stirred and opened her eyes.

"Josh" she cried and threw herself into my arms babbling a mile a minute about how sorry she was. I silenced her with a kiss.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. You didn't mean to get pregnant; I realize that now" I said and placed my hand on her belly "Perhaps this happened for a reason. I'm sorry that I was such an idiot"

"You don't mind?" she asked softly.

"No I don't, I want you and I want our baby. I did promise I would be yours forever. Remember? That is if you still want me after the way I acted" I said ruefully.

Her answer was to throw me back on the bed and have her way with me. After she lay in my arms and said" we are having a baby Josh. I am going to get huge, have stretch marks and then there will be dirty diapers, having to feed the child every three hours and lots of crying. You ready for it?"

"Bring it on" I said.

"Did I mention that twins run in my family?" she asked.

"What?" I asked not sure that I heard correctly. She laughed and then drifted off to sleep clinging to me, I stayed awake long enough to kiss her cheek and whisper "Goodnight sweetheart"

******

I couldn't sleep so I walked around the warehouse; I stopped into Josh's art studio and looked at the picture that he was painting. It was of Lily and him; he was painting it at her request. They were walking on a beach barefoot and holding hands. "I'm sorry I interfered. I hope that you can forgive a foolish old lady." I whispered to the images.

Noiselessly I padded up the stairs to their loft to find the young lovers asleep in each other's arms. I gazed at them for a few seconds; they looked so natural together. I smiled remembering how his grandfather and I used to sleep the same way; I missed that old coot. I remember when he was about Josh's age and how he went pale when I said I was pregnant and how he gave me my engagement ring that night. I looked at the black pearl on my finger remembering how it was returned to me the day that Josh's parents were killed. Also how it looked on my daughter's finger.

I pulled it off and placed it on Josh's bedside table. Gently I reached out and softly touched my grandson's hair. "She is going to make a beautiful bride. I'm glad you never gave the ring to that Texan bitch" I whispered and softly padded to the kitchen to make myself some tea.


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry, I don't do long, long chapters, I get too bored after awhile and would prefer to start out fresh the next day when this happens. Please see the very talented Morgaine or Ms. Botts to satisfy your thirst for nice long chapters. Obsidian.

******

Lily is now two months pregnant and I still have not proposed. I keep on trying to think of some way romantic to do so. Nana threatened to brain me if I don't do it soon. I want to surprise Lily but I think she already knows about it because every single time I stumble into a room with Nana and Lily, they stop talking and refuse to divulge the gist of their conversation to me.

Today we are having a charity event at my shop that Lily organized; it is a ten-hour fundraiser where myself and other tattoo artists donated our time to do tattoos for $15.00 for each half hour. The proceeds are going to The Center for Victims of Violence and Crime, in honour of my parents. Lily personally visited the other artists to convince them to donate their time; a move I wish she had told me about prior to going to visit artists with known Hells Angels connections. Yet, she managed to convince all she approached; even the most belligerent agreed to do this. She also managed to convince a restaurant to donate food trays.

The place is packed and we all have been kept busy, I swear that every paper and news station has dropped by today. Free publicity, can't beat that. The picture that I think will appear in the papers is Lily holding a three-year-old toddler on her lap while I drew a fake tattoo of a butterfly on the cute wide-eyed girl.

Lily is acting as greeter and hostess as my normal receptionist was having surgery. Though, I don't know if having breast implants done is a good excuse to take the day off. Still, she is great in that role, meeting everyone and handing out pamphlets, answering questions and making sure that everyone leaves with an aftercare sheet. The crowd itself is quite interesting to watch; you have bikers crowded besides suburban soccer moms, Punk kids beside business men and metal heads beside college students.

On her suggestion I hung up some of my artwork and was surprised when one picture sold right away. I have sold pictures before through galleries before, but never thought that I would sell one out of my own shop. 'I just might have to make this an annual event' I thought as I tattooed a rose on a pretty woman's thigh. She seemed more interested in me then the progress of her tattoo. Her face fell when Lily brought me a soda and ran her hand down my ponytail in a territorial 'he's mine' sort of way. It amuses me when she gets jealous of the way women look at me. I guess that it doesn't help that 99% of the people I have tattooed today have been woman; there is quite the line up in front of my station. Then again, more then one man has offered Lily his phone number; that I didn't care for at all.

I decided to take a fifteen-minute break and stepped into my office with Lily.

"You tired" she asked rubbing my shoulders, I moaned and leaned forward to give her better access.

"A little, some of the positions I have to get into to tattoo people causes my muscles to ache. I explained. "Ummm, that feels really good, you should get a job at one of those massage palours" I said then yelped when she hit me.

"I was just joking" I said pulling her onto my lap and kissing her deeply. I slid my tongue deep into her mouth; I reveled in her taste. Inspired I picked her up, put her on desk and slid her skirt up.

"What are you doing?" she asked confused as I removed her white lace thong exposing her sex to my heated gaze, I pushed her thighs apart for better access. "I want to taste all of you," I whispered and I started exploring her moist depths with my tongue before she could object, working her clitoris until it was swollen to view. She gasped as I lashed my tongue against it harshly, I smirked at the advantage I had over other men; a slightly rougher tongue that women seem to find irresistible. I licked every fragrant fold of her sex driving my tongue as deep into her core as I could then darted upwards to capture her clit in my mouth sucking it gently, working it hard with my tongue. I could feel her reaching her climax and thrust my fingers into her sex, pumping them in time to my licks. Her moans were low and sweet, she was trying to keep it down in case people heard. She squealed lightly as she came. I swallowed the rush of her juices. Then stood up and undid my pants, needing my own relief.

"But honey, someone might walk in" she whispered.

"Let them" I said and pushed myself forward into her molten hot core, I hissed as her walls gripped me possessively. I took her in my arms and started riding her hard "I want those idiots who were hitting on you to see me fucking you" I said knowing that the word fuck gets her off; her moans were low and greedy. I kept the pace frantic but was careful to avoid striking her cervix too hard; time was short so I needed to be quick. She milked me internally gripping me tightly and hotly. I could feel my orgasm approach and could feel she was about to have one as well, so I kissed her to muffle our mutual climaxes. We had just finished when there was a knock on the door and someone yelled that they needed Lily to help find them paper cups. I pulled out of her, she giggled and went to find them after giving me one last hurried kiss.

I cleaned myself off with a couple tissues and went back to tattooing. Every now and then we would catch each other's eye and share a look. I was looking forward to this being over so that I could grill up the chicken we were having for dinner and then taking her to bed for the rest of the night to have my wicked way with her. There seemed to be some sort of pheromone that her pregnancy had released in her because I couldn't seem to get enough of making love to her.

I was so busy thinking about what was going to occur later that night, that I didn't even notice the familiar platinum blonde hair until she said, "Josh?"

"Nancy?" I said with surprise. I suddenly found myself being hugged by my ex-fiancée; I awkwardly patted her back and moved away from her.

"Well, you are still a sight for sore eyes" she said looking at me in a slightly feral way. "Is this your little business? How cute" she said.

I bristled at her describing the business that I worked very hard to build as cute. "You haven't changed," I said with irony that was probably lost on her.

"This has changed," she said showing me an engagement ring with a diamond that could have choked a horse.

"Congratulations" I said.

I don't think that that was the reaction she was hoping for "his grandfather struck it rich with oil and he now owns dozens of wells"

"Sounds messy" I replied. "I hope you will excuse me but I have another customer."

She stepped into my path, "the girls and I heard about this weird charity event and thought we would come slumming and check it out. I mean how often does the criminal element do charity events? It is just bizarre!"

I knew now that she was trying to get a rise out of me and refused to give her a reaction. After all my shop was in a very respectable neighbourhood and could hardly qualify as a slum. "Well, I and the other inmates have work to do, please help yourself to food at the buffet and for drinks, there is nothing with alcohol as it causes people to bleed out more during tattooing, so we aren't serving any today" I said formally and mentally planned to tattoo a rat on her if she wanted one. I went to walk around her

She stepped into my path again and ran her fingers down my chest "I am going to be in town for a few days and am staying at the Palms in room 1204. Perhaps you would like to stop by and we can talk about old times?" she said and slipped her plastic room key into the front pocket of my jeans. I was about to tell her off for daring to suggest that I would want anything to do with her, when Lily was at my side and she looped her arm through mine.

"Honey, who's your friend?" she asked coldly.

"This is my ex, Nancy, I believe that I have mentioned her before" I said feeling calmer with Lily touching me.

"Yes, Josh who is your friend?" asked Nancy while eyeing Lily.

"Nancy Metcalf, this is Lily Angel Northman," I said.

Nancy cocked her head "Northman? Aren't you from that weird vampire family?"

"Yes I am, it could be worse; I could be from Texas" replied Lily without batting at an eyelash.

"How dare you!" said Nancy. "There is nothing wrong with Texas"

"Well, like the song says "Beers, Steers and Queers". Which one are you? You do kind of resemble a hefer. Oh wait; there was that famous movie too. Wasn't it Debbie something?" asked Lily politely.

I was struggling not to laugh; Nancy was so mad her hair looked even larger then normal.

Lily continued "Didn't I meet you in Spain? I would recognize that tacky hair anywhere"

"Since we are on the subject of bad hair, that dye job of yours is terrible" snapped Nancy.

"Oh my hair isn't dyed, the carpet matches the drapes. Can you say the same? I am sure that you are as black as pitch in your panties"

"Now you listen here…."

"No you listen here, stay away from Josh, he is not a whore. If you want to find a man then stand on a street corner like the rest of your kind."

"And what is he to you?" bristled Nancy.

"He is my future husband and father of our unborn child," she said and I idly placed my hand on her belly for emphasis.

"I don't see a ring," sneered Nancy.

"His family engagement ring is being resized. The only other alternative was this really tacky ring that his ex-fiancée chose and I certainly didn't want that one," she said shuddering dramatically. She leaned close to Nancy "stay away, I know many vampires in Texas that would love to do me a favour." Then she called to two of my larger staff members. They flanked her immediately. "Could you boys do me a favour and take this white trash out? She is starting to stink up the place. We run a respectable business here after all" She looked at Nancy contemptuously. Nancy lunge at her only to be captured by the large males and escorted towards the door with her friends trailing uncertainly behind like a bunch of baby duck.

"Wait one second" called Lily and all of them paused. She dug the key out of my front pocket and whipped it towards Nancy, striking her in the head. "You might need this to give it to a sailor" Nancy lunged again, but was dragged away and pushed unnceremoniously out the door. Lily pretended to dust off her hands and said to the room at large "Good riddance to bad rubbish". She got some applause.

I laughed and reached for the ring that I had taken to carrying around with me in case we stumbled onto the perfect moment. I got down on one knee then and there, held it up and said "Lily will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

******

I looked at the beautiful man kneeling before me, holding out the beautiful ring that I coveted and saying those words that I longed to hear him say and for once in my life was struck dumb.

A minute went by "Lily, say something" Josh whispered. "Would you prefer a diamond? I will get one for you if you want" He seemed to blushing at the attention that we were receiving.

That I unfroze me "Yes, of course I will marry!" I cried tears of joy running down my cheeks. He brightened and slid the ring on to my finger while I kept on trying to kiss him at the same time. The ring fit perfectly and was a great contrast to my pale skin. We kissed passionately while the light of camera flash bulbs illuminated us and people cheered.

Our kissing engagement pictures appeared in the papers the next day.

******

I watched the gorgeous young couple kiss from my Tabby's Tas-Tea booth and muttered "it is about smegging time" then pulled out my cell phone and dialed a number and waited until I got her message "You've reached Pam, if you got my voicemail then I am literally dead to the world, or fucking my husband. Either way; leave a message."

"Good news Vampy Girl, he finally proposed. Looks like there is going to be a wedding. Spread the news to the rest"

Lily had suggested making gift baskets and has bought me a tea bag packing machine so that I could bag my own blends and they were selling like hot cakes, not is not to mention the profits from the tea sales themselves. Life was good for all of us.


	14. Chapter 14

"Pam, I just got a phone call from Eric; Lily and Josh are finally engaged" I said

"Yes, Tabby left me a message; I just finished listening to it. Isn't that wonderful? Our first great-grandchild" she said with a happy look on her face.

"Yes, but it is kind of funny how Lily got pregnant when she was on the pill" I said looking closely at her.

She gave me a guileless smile and said, "How can you think that I had anything to do with this? I have been here with you all this whole time"

"I don't know. Something just doesn't add up about this whole situation, woman" I said sternly.

"Oh John, you have such a great imagination" said Pam and went to get dressed.

******

"Does it seem to you that the women in this family are ridiculously fertile Sookie?" I asked.

"Oh come on Eric, you were under a fairy curse and they changed my ovulation date, John was under the same curse voluntarily and Pam on fertility drugs. Tyla and Cameron only had one daughter and Charlotte has the most with three. That is not that many. You make it sound like we are rabbits or something" she said.

"After we had Cameron, you had no trouble producing three more" I pointed out.

"You complaining?" she asked.

"No, but I wish that they would invent better form of birth control, with Tyla and Lily both getting pregnant while using protection."

"Why don't you like Josh?"

"I hate him less then her other boyfriends in the past and notice that his shop is doing pretty well"

"How would you know that?" she asked me, her hands on her hips.

"I bribed one of the vampires in Florida to obtain copies of his financial statements by getting him to glamour the accountant's secretary. Josh is doing pretty well in his shop. I might have to open a tattoo palour" I mused.

"Eric, you know that that is illegal!" she demanded.

"Hey I was just making sure that he isn't a bum," I said in my defense.

"And now you know. So then you will welcome him to the family nicely? Right?" she said with an edge in her voice.

"Oh alright" I said in exasperation "I don't know why every woman in this family is so hung up on that guy; he is almost as bad as John"

******

I was at my tattoo shop going over the customs designs that I was to put on skin that evening when Michelle told me there was a phone call for me.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It is the personal assistant of Sir Mick Jagger" she replied sounding confused by this.

"What? That is impossible" I replied. "It has got to be a joke"

"The person has a British accent and is most insistent upon speaking with you about a painting you did" she explained.

"Yeah, Mick Jagger calls me all the time. Put him on; I'll deal with it" I said sighing audibly.

I was connected knowing full well it was probably just Eric pranking me again; he likes to do this sometimes when he is bored. He does a great British accent. A voice said "Hello am I speaking with Mr. Joshua Dax?" It sounded just like Eric when he was doing his accent.

"You know full well it is Eric" I replied and hung up on him.

The person called back and was patched through again. "Mr. Dax? Sir Jagger wishes to speak with you about a painting that was purchased at your tattoo charity event"

That gave me pause for a second "Very funny, Lily must have told you about that. Nice try, blow it out your ass" I said and hung up. This went on for several more times and I got more progressively ruder with each conversation. But still the so-called "personal assistant" to a legendary rock star, Sir Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones kept on insisting that Mick wanted to speak with me." Finally I just hung up on him and vowed I would get even with the annoying vampire and went about my business.

Somewhere In London, England

My personal assistant told me that he was having trouble getting a hold the tattoo artist from the states that I asked him to contact.

"What is the trouble, Dan?" I asked.

"He seems to think that your phoning him is a joke. He keeps calling me Eric and saying rude things" he replied.

"I can see why he would think it is a joke" I mused having encountered this before. "Give me the number; I will call him personally" I said, jotting down the number and dialing it.

"Katmandu Tattoos" said a bored sounding young woman with an American accent.

"Could I please speak with Mr. Joshua Dax" I asked politely.

"Certainly, who may I say is calling" she said.

"Tell him it is Mick Jagger" I replied.

I was connected and a male voice said "So now you are Mick himself, Eric? Quit fucking around, I have work to do"

"Mr. Dax?" I said with some hesitation.

"You know perfectly well it is me, you big jerk. Though I have to admit, I have heard many interviews with Sir Jagger and you do sound exactly like him"

"I am afraid that I don't know who Eric is; I sound like Mick Jagger because I am him. Is being rude an American thing? I am not used to being addressed in such a manner." I said in an authoritative voice.

"Fine, if you are Mick Jagger then what year were you knighted?"

"2003" I said with no hesitation.

The voice on the other end paused and then said in a humble tone "Mr. Jagger?"

"That would be me" I replied.

******

"I am so sorry; my fiancée's grandfather is no fan of mine and likes to do prank phone calls using silly voices. Not that your voice is silly" I quickly added.

"I understand" he said sounding amused.

"So how can I help you?" I said as causally as possible when having a famous rock star call me.

"A friend of mine purchased a painting you did at a charity event and I saw it and wanted to know if you might be interested in doing our next album cover."

I said faintly "you want me to do a painting which will appear on the cover of the next album by your band The Rolling Stones?"

"Yes, that is the gist of it" he said sounding amused. "You have a fresh and interesting style, what type of art do you prefer to do?"

"I like doing pre-Raphaelite style art using modern clothing and settings, cartoon art and well, tattoo art of course" I replied. I was thought about the painting that I sold; it was of how Lily would look as a Neko. She insisted that I display it and when someone was interested in it, told me to sell it. She was framed by tiger lilies and wearing a tiger skin bikini with gold cat eyes, her hair wild and her hands claw tipped. It was obviously called Tiger Lily.

"Would you be interested? Is there an agent that I should be talking to?" he asked politely.

"No, Mr., uh, Sir Jagger. What would you like me to call you? I don't have an agent but more certainly would be interested" I replied.

"Just call me Mick" he replied. "I pay a standard fee for album cover art and don't like to negotiate it is......" he said and named the figure. I accidently snapped my pencil in half with a flick of my thumb when I heard the amount.

"That would be fine" I said feeling overwhelmed.

"Great, I will have my personal assistant mail a contract to you and put you in touch with the person who handles my art designs"

I suddenly remembered that John was in the entertainment business and realized that he might have put Mick up to this. "Wait a minute, do you someone named Raven?"

"Ravin' Raven of Raven Records? I haven't seen John for a dog's age. How do you know him?" asked Mick.

"I am marrying his granddaughter" I explained.

"Which one?"

"Lily" I said.

He whistled "I saw pictures of her when she graduated, she is beautiful; I am on his email list" he explained. "I used to ask John why he never aged and he said it was because he was a vampire. Then the great revelation happened and sure enough, he wasn't lying; he is a vampire" he said laughing at the memory.

"So did he suggest that you call me?"

"No a friend bought your picture; I liked it and want you to design the cover for me as I said. That is all that is happening here. So my personal assistant will send you the contract and a lawyer will go over it with you. Then I shall want to see some design ideas"

"That is fine" I said and we discussed ideas and then he rang off.

Not sure that John wasn't involved; my next call was to him. The jovial vampire answered the phone right away, he was laughing about something.

"Tyla and Cameron are over and I am trying to teach them how to swing dance and they are hopeless! They are entered in a competition; they are in costume and everything. It is way too amusing" he said laughing again.

"I got a call from Mick Jagger, he wants me to design his next cover. Do you know anything about that?" I asked him directly.

He stopped laughing "Really? How did that happen?" I explained it to him and he said "That is wonderful!" I told you that you were better at painting then you gave yourself credit for. You should get an agent after this" he suggested.

"But I just paint for fun" I protested.

"You will need one after this; I will email you a list of people. How are the wedding plans coming?"

"Her last suggestion was we go to Vegas and get it over with, and then we can visit her Great Uncle Felipe at the same time. My suggestion was a fancy hotel; she hated the idea; too frou frou for her tastes. Are all the women so unromantic in your family?" I asked.

"Yep, they can't wait until the wedding, so they can bag you and tag you. They don't have a lot of patience for wedding planning." He explained.

"Wonderful, I want large and romantic and she wants court house with KFC for dinner" I said sourly.

"Try to compromise, Lily can be stubborn, just explain what you want and the reasons for it and find out what she wants" He advised. We chatted for a bit more then I called Lily, she sounded excited about something so I asked her why.

"Tetley teas called Tabby; they want to buy her morning sickness tea recipe!" she said enthusiastically.

"Hey that is great; I have some news of my own" I said with a smirk.


	15. Chapter 15

Happy Canada Day Everyone! Obsidian

******

Lily had insisted that we celebrate my news by going out to dinner and then we met up with a bunch of her friends at a dance club. Her friends were already ripped and kept ordering rounds of drinks, trying to get Lily to drink. Which Lily kept on saying that she couldn't, so I drank every last horrible girly drink until I had to ask the worst offender to stop. She then got mad at me for trying to control Lily until Lily stepped in and said she couldn't drink because she was pregnant. This caused the drunken girl to cry about how happy she was for us and then tried to buy us more drinks! Finally Lily had enough as the place was starting to get smoky, so we called it a night and she towed girly-drink drunken me home. I hate partying with college students; give me biker's any day. Nothing that they drink is blue or comes with an umbrella.

All in all I am now suffering a hangover of monumental proportions. When the morning sick Lily felt sorry enough for me to get me some Tylenol while she fetched her tea, I must have looked horrible. We took turns in the washroom being sick. "Kill me now" I moaned white as a sheet.

"Try feeling like this every morning" she said and pulled me back into bed beside her.

"How is your belly?" I asked.

"Cramping" she said. I adjusted myself so that my belly was pressed against her slightly curved one, lending her my warmth to soothe the pain. We both fell asleep again. When we woke up I felt better and got ready to go into the shop while Lily went to class.

"So did you look over the fliers that I left for you?" I asked causally knowing full well the answer.

"Yes", she answered testily.

"What did you think?"

"Overpriced and stupidly large, I don't want to have to invite 200 people just to fill up a ballroom. I don't see what the big deal is; I just want to get married" said Lily stubbornly.

"That big deal is that we can only do it once and I would like to do it right, with some style. Not get married by Elvis and then go out for hot dogs (A/N thanks Mary Lyon, I stole this from you. I am a fan of your reviews. I like the sound of your wedding)" I replied.

"You keep on dragging me to all these hugely ridiculous venues. I just want to something simple and fast so I can look decent in a dress. Or would you rather wait until the baby is born and I get my figure back?" she suggested.

I paused, imagining Eric and Sookie's reaction to that suggestion, I think the female would lecture me and the male would kill me. I suppressed a shudder and said, "I don't think that waiting is an option, someone in your family made his opinion pretty clear about babies being born out of wedlock"

Guessing right away who I meant she said "Oh don't worry about Grandpa Eric he is a real pussycat when you get to know him. Pardon the pun."

I struggled hard to picture the thousand-year-old dangerous vampire as a pussycat "perhaps to his cute little granddaughter he is. To the punk that knocked up his cute little granddaughter; not so much" I said calmly and handed her another flier. "What do you think about this one?" I asked patiently knowing what her reaction would be.

I was right, she sneered and said "been there for a wedding before, the food is horrible. What is wrong with my suggestion that we have a small wedding for family only on the terrace of the warehouse, it is looking pretty nice up there now that you landscaped it?"

I rolled my eyes, wondering why I seemed to be the chick right now. I thought it was the girl that normally wanted her dream wedding. "The terrace is nice, for small gathering or family meals" I explained. "I really don't want to have our wedding having beer and hiring someone to grill the food"

"Have ever been to an upscale wedding?" she asked.

"Yes, when I was with Nancy. I loved the theatrics of it" I admitted.

"Well, I don't. I have been in several of them as a bridesmaid wearing a stupid clone dress and hated most of them. White on white, lots of speeches and too many stupid dances are not my taste. My dream wedding is a couple of close friends and our families, no more then fifty people total." She explained. "How many relatives do you have?" she asked.

"A couple of aunts, uncles and cousins, about twelve people" I admitted.

"I have lots of extended family and immediate family, but half are vampires so it would have to be in a vampire friendly place. Now you would be inviting tattoo clients and biker friend's right?" she asked.

"Well, only if they are friends of mine" I said.

"Well, I think we can remove half of the larger venues, so remove all ballrooms and art galleries and places like that" she said sweeping those the rejected pile. "That leaves us with medium sized places", she continued to do the eliminations until there was nothing left." We could have gotten married the same day that we picked up our marriage license" she said again. I cringed at the idea.

We had picked up our license the day after I proposed to her and she looked wistfully at the causally dressed brides and grooms and said, "do you want to get married right now?" she asked. I shuddered and said "no" flatly.

"If you want to have our wedding soon; you are going to have to pick something, most of the places are booked solid for a year" I pointed out to her.

"I just can't see myself getting married at any of these places" she said in exasperation and threw the fliers into the air.

I gathered them up and took them to the shop with me.

Later that Night

I kissed Lily hello upon returning home and handed her the fliers again. She smiled when she saw that I had painted a white clad version of her in each one. "Now can you see yourself getting married in these?" I teased her and we went through them again.

Oddly enough we found our venue strictly by accident. We were driving by and this historic Victorian style schoolhouse caught our eye. The grounds were beautiful and the building quaint. On impulse we knocked on the door the events coordinator happened to be present getting the place ready for a wedding that evening and she invited us in. The venue was decorated beautifully yet rustically with just enough room for one hundred people and a dance floor. We asked her about booking times and were happy to learn that she had had a cancellation for a month from now. We booked it on the spot and Lily managed to pull some strings with a vampire run print shop to have our invitations ready for the next day. They featured a picture on the cover that I had painted in the past shrunk to a smaller scale. It was of Lily and I; I stood behind her with my arms around her with both of us looking out. We were both naked from the waist up and my arms hid most of her breasts, my dark hair mixed with her blond and on her abdomen I had put a fake tattoo of swirling calligraphy letters that read 'baby on board'.

I picked up my cell phone when we got home and dialed John's number "We're getting hitched" was the only message I managed to leave before getting dragged upstairs and enthusiastically ridden like a bronco. Apparently wedding planning does something to women.


	16. Chapter 16

Today is my wedding day; the day I have been waiting for all my life.

My mother was worried about me not being able to get a decent wedding dress in time, but I wasn't worried. She was surprised when I took her to China Town and chose a white Chinese Cheongsam dress of Chinese brocade with a purple cherry blossom pattern on it. For my bridesmaids I chose the same dress with opposite colours, the same purple with a white cherry blossom pattern. Each dress came in many different sizes and cost about one hundred dollars a piece, including alterations. I have chosen as my bridesmaids; my mother and two grandmothers. They were surprised by my choice of dresses, but had to admit the effect as stunning. My dress fits like a glove and although I am three months pregnant, my belly is barely showing. When I was getting us fitted in the incense smelling shop, my mother was nervous about me getting married in traditional Asian clothing as we weren't Asian. I made her feel better by simply asking the Asians in the shop if they minded if we used the cheongsams for an occidental wedding and they assured me that they didn't.

Rather then a veil I am wearing a pair of simple white and purple chopsticks with some dangling jewelry at the top and a pair of dangling diamond and amethyst earrings. We had all put our hair up in a bun and put both chopsticks on the same side of our heads.

For my bouquet I chose regular purple irises that matched the purple in my dress with white baby's breath and for my bridesmaids, I chose white irises with dried baby's breath that had been dyed purple, they all are hand tied with a white and purple organza ribbon.

Prior to coming here, we had our make up and nails done and all of us look beautiful, I feel like a princess and can't wait until Josh sees me. He has no clue what I am wearing; all that I did tell him was that a mandarin collared shirt would be appropriate with his tuxedo.

Our venue is decorated to the hilt, I allowed Josh free range when it came to decorations so that he could have his upscale wedding and I can have my small venue. Our wedding planner went all out; there is an ice sculpture, a champagne fountain, a sweet table complete with a chocolate fountain, and a sushi station where someone shall be hand rolling them throughout the duration of our wedding. Our wedding planner told me amusingly enough that Josh was groomzilla to work with when it came to decorating; a role normally reserved for the bride.

Our cake is huge and has the cake topper that Tabby picked out for us in a fit of humour: two cats, one in a wedding dress and the other in a tux. The cake itself is plain white with purple cherry blossoms swirling down one side. We don't actually have a theme and the colours are; you guessed it, purple and white.

Our favours are packaged custom blended tea bags that Tabby personally wrapped and personally labeled bottles of true blood for the vampires, again a custom blend.

There are one hundred guests here and the bridal side is crowded with supes and the groom's side is crowded with tattooed biker sorts, the effect is amusing and all guests are elegantly dressed. The heavily tattooed women in cocktail dresses are certainly going to make the crowd photos interesting.

I can't wait to see Josh and I keep on trying to peek out the door, only to be hauled back unceremoniously by Granny Pam who keeps insisting he might see me. My father joined me and proclaimed how beautiful I looked. The processional music started, I had chosen Moonlight Sonata and the wedding planner ushered each bridesmaids out in turn. They marched elegantly with their heads held high. I was so proud of them! My handsome blonde father patted my hand and offered me his arm. I almost started crying; I was about to get married.

As I walked down the aisle, I could hear people whispering about how lovely and unique my gown was, but all I could see was Josh. He looked so handsome in his tux with a dark purple vest and tie. He was surrounded by urns full of flowers. His eyes softened when he saw me in my dress and almost in amusement, he allowed his eyes to glow golden for a few seconds "You look beautiful" he whispered to me.

I arched my eyebrow at him "you look really hot yourself, can't wait to get you alone" I said.

"You'll have to wait" whispered Granny Pam sharply. "No fucking until after you are married!" Josh blushed at her language.

"Don't worry, she was like that with me too and I was further along in my pregnancy then you" whispered my Mother.

I struggled not to laugh when the officient looked shocked. He cleared his throat and whispered sarcastically "can we get you married so that you two can go on with your evening?" Everyone looked chagrinned and went back to their places. My father gave me another kiss on the cheek and whispered "I really don't want to give you away, but I am glad to it is to a man worthy of you". Josh seemed to glow from the compliment and then my father put my hand into his. I darted forward and gave Josh a peck on the lips.

"Enough of that now!" admonished Granny Pam in a low tone of voice. I smiled at her mischievously and turned to the officient, who opened his book and began reading.

My eyes went misty when the vows were read: Do you Lily Angel Northman take Joshua Arthur Dax to be your lawful wedded husband? ("I do.") Will you love, respect and honor him throughout your years together? ("I will.") Do you Joshua Arthur Dax take Lily Angel Northman to be your lawful wedded wife? ("I do.") Will you love, respect and honor her throughout your years together? ("I will.")

Our rings were blessed then. For Josh we had chosen a platinum half dome band and for me, we chose a platinum channel diamond band.

Our officient said to us in turn: Will each of you repeat after me?

I, Joshua, give to you Lily, this ring, as a symbol of my commitment to love, honor, and respect you.

I, Lily, give to you Joshua, this ring, as a symbol of my commitment to love, honor, and respect you.

The ceremony ended with "congratulations, you may kiss the bride" and we did in a hungry fashion, making everyone clap and whistle. People lined up to kiss me.

******

Lily was introduced as Mrs. Dax and the males lined to shake my hand, all except for Lily's father who surprised me by cupping my face in his hands and _kissing me full on the mouth_! When I opened my mouth to protest, I suddenly felt his tongue dart into my mouth. I stood there stunned while he frenched me; our photographer got a great picture of it. When he pulled back he said "welcome to the family" with a smirk on his face. I looked at her grandparents who were laughing.

"Family tradition" explained Grandpa John "You'll get to do the same to your daughter's husband should you have one". I just shook my head to clear it; remembering him kissing me in the bar. 'What is with this family?' I wondered.

The food was great, I had personally chosen salmon and filet mignon for the options, the beef was so tender I could have cut it with a fork. We toasted through the speeches, me with champagne and Lily with sparkling grape juice. We had to kiss so many times it felt like our lips were bruised.

Lots of photos were taken, including me feeding her cake, the groom's side, the bride's side. Lily and her bridal party posed with the parasols that we had gotten for them, even though her grandmothers would be in the sun. It was a very fun evening.

The dancing began. We did our first dance to You and Me by Alice Cooper; she looked so happy that she was practically glowing; I couldn't stop kissing her. Imagine my shock when John had pulled some strings and got Alice Cooper himself to perform this song!

I was also extremely touched when although Sir Jagger could not attend, he sent us a set of luggage.

We danced up a storm until Lily started getting sleepy then we sat down to rest. "I never thought that I would have a wedding where I could not partake of my own open bar" she said grumpily. Looking around at the crowd of drunken people; I had to think that this might be a good thing.

I touched her belly "do you regret our son then?" I whispered; we knew this from the ultra sound.

She put her hand over mine and said "of course not, I don't regret a thing as far as we are concerned"

"Glad to hear it Mrs. Dax, because I intend to give you many more children. You might never drink again" I said facetiously.

"It is going to be fun making them" she said she beaming at me. We started kissing.

"Okay, you can fuck now" observed Pam as she walked by.

At the end of the night the stretch limousine dropped all of us at home. We split off from the rest of the group and I carried a sleepy Lily to bed.

"So tired" she complained irritably when I helped her to remove her dress.

"At least you don't get morning sickness any more" I pointed out.

"Some wedding night" she moaned.

"As far as I am concerned, we had our wedding night a long time ago" I said crawling in beside her and cuddling her to me. She made a contented sound "Good night wife" I whispered as I ran my hand through her hair.

"Good night husband" she whispered sleepily. I smiled into the darkness to hear her call me that.

Nancy was watching the entertainment news when an item caught her eye and she spat out her tea.

"Rising young artist Joshua Dax got married today to his long time girlfriend and society sweetheart, Lily Northman. Mr. Dax's art gained notoriety when he was commissioned personally by Sir Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones to design their latest album cover. In attendance was John Doe, owner of Raven Records and Alice Cooper made an appearance to sing the first dance song for the young couple. We expect great things from this young artist." Then was shown footage of Josh arriving at the venue and leaving afterwards with his wife asleep in his arms.

"What the fuck?" sputtered Nancy, eyeing her formally white Italian silk couch. "He was supposed to have been my husband!"


	17. Chapter 17

Okay Canada Day over, Happy 4th of July my American neighbours. Think of me stuck at the office while you are sucking down brewskis. I hate you :) Obsidian.

******

We pulled up to the center in Lily's Porsche. She looked at me and asked "are you ready for this?" She was wearing just a simple black cotton dress and sandals and no makeup; she could have been any girl on a beach when she dressed this way. But she was still the most beautiful woman that I had ever seen, even being nine months pregnant did little to detract from her natural beauty and grace; she looked like a pregnant super model.

I sighed "No, I hate these events" I said flatly.

She laughed and leaned over and kissed me, I tried not to react to the scent of her pregnancy pheromones. We hadn't been able to do actual penetration after the eightieth month (not that we didn't keep each other satisfied in other ways) and had only just resumed having intercourse as a way to try triggering her labour. Not that either one of us were complaining; damn I had missed being inside her! "Well, you should have thought of that before you suggested the idea"

I helped her out of the car and bent to retrieve her purse "Yes, but it is for a good cause and I couldn't just stand idly by while a little girl was suffering" I said.

"And that is why I love you" she said "Now smiled pretty for the press" she whispered. I opened the door for her and then we were surrounded by them.

******

I was watching the news when suddenly Josh's face flashed onto the screen. I almost moaned aloud at how good he looked in a simple black suit with white dress shirt and no tie. I have not been able to get him off my mind since I last saw him on TV getting married to that Bitch, Lily Northman. 'Nancy, have you lost your mind?' I asked myself.

I turned up the volume and shivered at the sound of his voice as he spoke to the pretty TV reporter.

"So what is this charity event of yours all about?" she asked.

"I organized this to aid Libby Kavaliaouskas from Lithuania, she has a rare form of treatable cancer but her parents aren't yet landed immigrants and have no health insurance, so the government won't help them. They work in the restaurant next to my tattoo palour and that is how I got to know Libby, she is only five years old and deserves a normal life. The procedure is very costly so we are having a telethon in to cover her treatment and parent's accomodation" he explained and smiled confidently at the camera as if he had been born in front of one. They showed the standard photo of a cute bald little girl on the screen.

"You have donated money?" she asked. I swear that she was flirting with him.

"My wife and I both donated money and I am going to be auctioning off a painting of mine tonight. For those out there who wish to donate or place a bid, please call the number on your screen" he explained.

"That is very generous of you Mr. Dax" she said.

"Please call me Josh" he said smiling again.

"Is Mrs. Dax here this evening?" she asked.

"I'm right here" said Lily Dax effortlessly holding a tray of drinks like she was born a waitress. "I was just getting some drinks for the people manning the phones; everyone is here volunteering their time and this is the least that I can do." I fumed as he took that tray from her and went to deliver them while she told the reporter more about their event.

The reporter asked "so how long before the blessed event?" and the camera panned down to show her huge belly.

She laughed and touched it "any day now, we are a week overdue in fact. He is stubborn like his father" she said smiling at the camera. My blood ran cold. A_ boy_?! Josh had always told me that he hoped that our first born would be male.

"Seems like the wedding was only six months ago?" said the reporter shrewdly.

I would have been insulted by this but she just threw back her head and laughed "Bun was already in the oven when we got married, we were bad" she said grinning at her now returned husband in a loving way.

He looked back at her the same way and put his arms around her "we did get married a little sooner then I planned because of Bun. But as long as I got married to her, who cares about the time lines" he said and put his hand on her belly.

Then Mick Jagger appeared on the screen via satellite feed. "Hi Josh" he said.

"Hi Mick, how are you doing?"

"Just great, sleeping like a baby. Please thank Tabby for sending me her sleep-teas"

Josh laughed "I sure will"

"Now I would like to donate to your cause" said Mick

"That is really generous of you. How much would you care to donate?" Josh asked. My jaw dropped at the amount that was mentioned. Not being able to take any more I shut off the TV and considered throwing the remote at it.

Damnit that should have been me with him; this should be my life! I met Josh when we were both seventeen and he was working in his parent's store while I was attending private school nearby. Even then he was the most beautiful male I had ever met. Smart too and when I slept with him; it was the best experience of my young life. I couldn't get enough. I knew that he wasn't worthy of me but I fell in love with him anyway; I tried to turn him into someone who I could be with. I taught him how to mingle with the rich and famous, I taught him proper table manners and got him is scholarship for Art College. He was going to be famous for his art some day, anyone could see that. I worked hard for the shining results that he had become only to have someone else cultivate the fruits of my labour!

I knew that as soon as he had his degree that he was going to take the art world by storm and I would be there to back him with my father's money. However what I didn't count on was his parents being killed and him becoming a mockery of what he could be. To watch him body be covered by cheap tattoos marking him as the lower class man he had always been. It was sheer flattery that caused me to accept his engagement ring when I was already bored with him and sleeping with bleached blonde frat boys. Yet, only he could make my body feel like _that_.

When his parents died, I tried to end it by email. Only for him to turn up at my Daddy's mansion looking scruffy, like he hadn't slept for two days and oh the humiliation; my father was having a party for the Mayor of Texas! There he stood on the porch begging for me to hold him while everyone looked on! It was all I could do not to spit in his face, instead I insisted that someone call the police and threw his cheap diamond ring into the Texan dust at him feet and closed the door on him. Like I could have married him anyway, I couldn't have cat-eye babies. I would have had to send them away to an asylum to hide them. He isn't even human.

I hadn't seen him since that night until I decided to visit a tattoo charity event and remembered how much I missed him in bed. I tried to pick him up only to have that bitch insult me! Me! Nancy Metcalfe, how dare she. She is nothing.

We rich people know all about her weird family, they attend the same events as us; they dine at the same restaurants. Yet they are not like us, they are vampires for god's sake! They said that it was artificial insemination that allowed them to procreate, but we are not blind, everyone can see the family resemblance between them all. Her grandfather John Doe, is the one most prominent family member, a reclusive multi-billionaire rumoured to be a playboy who never aged. No one was shocked when he said that he was a vampire after the great revelation. Of course, Josh's own weirdness is probably embraced by such a bizarre family and Lily will probably proudly display her little cat-children for all the world to see.

I don't like him being happy with anyone else; he should be mourning that fact that I-The Great Nancy, dumped him. That should be his only claim to fame. Not the fact that his art career has taken off and he has a famous wife and a cute baby about to be born.

I don't like him happy with anyone else! I just can't stand it!

******

We raised all the money that we set out to do and a little more which will help Libby's parents. Mick also promised her that he would bring her whole family to London, England for two weeks as soon as they get their citizenship and as soon as she was better. It was a very touching moment.

"You think that that helped with the labour?" asked Josh as he pulled out of me and kissed the back of my neck.

"Who cares?" I said contentedly on a three orgasm high. He helped me roll over and scooped me against him. "You were magnificent tonight" I whispered.

"At the event or just now?" he teased.

"Both" I said and drifted off to sleep.

I started awake, my body racked with pain like I had never experienced before. I could only gasp it was so intense. "What's wrong Honey?" cried Josh with concern.

"I think the baby is coming" I whimpered.

He jumped up "we have to get you to the hospital" he said.

"I don't think we have time for that, I think that that baby is coming right, right now" I moaned. He went pale and his jaw dropped.

Remembering that all the women had gone out with Tabby to a dance club that evening, I said "please get my grandpa John"

Josh shifted into his cat form as he moved quicker like that and bolted down the stairs "please hurry" I screamed after him as a fresh wave of pain hit.


	18. Chapter 18

I had opted to go over my accounts with the bookkeeper from some of my more obscure businesses while the girls went out for the evening. Suddenly the door was smashed off its hinges and a huge cat knocked me down and roared into my face while straddling my chest. It was easily twelve feet in length and looked like a black Lynx with golden cat eyes. Its paws were the size of dinner plates and were tipped by deadly razor sharp claws. I froze as it snarled at me with teeth that had to be three inches long. I quickly deduced that this must be Josh; I had never seen him in his battle form before. I had always pictured it as looking like a large fluffy black housecat, but this is not the case. This cat was not designed to be chasing feathered toys, or lounging in the sun; this cat was designed for war. I realized then that he wasn't trying to hurt me, but tell me something in a Lassie "Timmy down the well" sort of way.

I looked at my bookkeeper who had appeared to have wet himself and said in a reassuring as voice as was possible when one has a deadly battle cat sitting on one's chest "It's okay Martin, it is just my granddaughter's husband, he has a message to deliver to me." He didn't look reassured when Josh leaned even closer to my face and started making what sounded like hysterical roars. "Josh, I can't understand you. Please return to human form," I requested. Then I had a highly attractive naked male sitting on top me, straddling my waist. He suddenly seemed to realize the position and started to blush. "Never mind about that" I said. "What is going on? Is this about Lily?" He was about to answer when someone roared from the doorway.

"What the hell is going on here?" demanded Eric taking in the sight of Josh naked and sitting on top of me, while my sodden bookkeeper looked on.

Josh froze and seemed to turn purple at the implications of Eric's statement then focused and said "Lily is having her baby." We all looked up towards the loft and listened to the screams that were coming from there.

"Oh, I thought you two were just having sex," said Eric, helping Josh up and pulling his t-shirt off to hand to the slighter man; he gratefully donned it. Then he turned to Josh and asked, "So what is the problem, do you not have her suitcase packed or something? Go get her dressed and I'll bring the car around to take her to the hospital." Eric said in the gentlest tone of voice I had ever heard him use. Eric after four children had infinite patience for hysterical fathers.

"She is having it right now, as in it could be crowning any minute. There is no time to take her to the hospital!" yelled Josh. That statement galvanized us into action. I stood up and launched myself up their loft, to find Lily sobbing and clutching her stomach. I quickly spread her legs apart and looked to see the sheets soaked with her water breaking and some bloody discharge coming from her vagina. I looked away but could feel my fangs extend because of the smell of blood. "That is so not a part of my granddaughter I ever wanted to see" I commented.

"Grandpa John, it hurts so much!" she whimpered out.

I started gently stroking her shoulders "Lily I know it hurts, but I can't glamour you; you share that trait with your granny Sookie. It shouldn't be much longer; you are really close. I looked at the rest and said Josh, "we will need clean sheets and towels, bring lots. We also need sterile gloves, boiling hot water and the sharpest knife you can find. Ask Martin to help you get all those if he is still here." I ordered.

"Not, a problem, I have a whole box of individually wrapped sterile gloves" he replied. I looked at him questioningly. He shrugged "I am a tattoo artist, I also tried to talk my staff into scrubs and hair nets but they wouldn't go for it. They wanted to look sexy; a great reputation, stellar work and sex appeal sells tattoos" he explained and darted off to get the items. I returned to helping Lily trying not to think about how he looked in one of his work related too small t-shirts and paint on jeans; finally understanding the need for the look that Lily was always complaining about. Lily didn't like her husband looking sexy for anyone but herself.

I looked at Eric "Eric, you can't reach the girls on their cell phones as they are in a noisy dance club, please go get them from there." I ordered him.

"Right, I'll go get them from Tonic" he said and flew off in to the night.

Then the implications of what he had just said hit me. "No, they are at Gin, Tonic's sister bar across town" I screamed after him, but doubt that he heard me. I shook my head in exasperation and called the one person I knew who could really help; I rubbed my ring and asked for Aunt Bronagh to appear. I was rewarded with a flash and blinked in surprise when two familiar males appeared. "Where is Bronagh?" I asked Mel and Matt in confusion. Lily stopped wailing and stared at them too for a second and resumed.

"She has to sit in judgment of a case as she is on the council of three these days, she regrets not coming but could be executed for leaving her duties. So she sent us." Matt explained. I looked dubiously at the two other men who were joining our all male baby delivery team, bringing us to a total of six…..and Lily. "Do either one of you know how to deliver a baby?" I asked. They looked questioningly at each other and then shook their heads in unison. "Has either one of you ever had medical training?" I asked and received another negative headshake. I ground my teeth in frustration. "What are we going to do if no one here has ever delivered a baby before?" I asked.

"I have" said Martin as he returned with the supplies. We all swiveled to look at him.

"I used to be a paramedic in my younger days and had to deliver a baby once in the back of the ambulance. I even was in medical school, but I used to faint at the sight of blood." He trailed off. "Hence the career change"

"We are not afraid of the sight of blood. Do you think that you can guide one of us in the steps?" I asked.

"Sure, there is even a website for emergency delivery" he said. Josh returned with a box of sterile sealed gloves, and a mound of towels. Somewhere along the way he had put on a pair of sweat pants, which was good because he had kept giving us tantalizing (for me) glimpses of his firm rounded buttocks and family jewels. Far too distracting. He immediately went to his moaning wife and started touching her to calm her and speaking in a soothing tone of voice. She seemed to become a little calmer with him holding her.

"Josh, do you have a laptop?" I asked.

"Yes, in my studio" he said while rubbing her back.

I turned to Mel "Mel, go get the laptop and find the website that Martin will direct you to. Matt, take my car and go and find Eric at Tonic and then take him to Gin to pick up the girls; he is at the wrong club" I explained.

"I could just teleport her to the hospital" pointed out Matt as he was about to depart.

"I thought of that too and know that it is safe, but am concerned that you might teleport the mother and the baby remain here. I know it is a stupid fear, but I think the best thing is to deliver the baby here and then take them both to the hospital."

"Suit yourself" he said with a shrug and departed.

I held out a package of gloves to Martin and told him to scrub up.

"What?" he said.

"We have to know if she is dilating properly and you are the only one here with experience in that" I explained.

"Yes, if she is ready then her cervix will have dilated to about 10-12 centimeters" Mel read off the screen.

"But what if I faint" protested Martin.

"Don't look, just feel, I will guide your hand" I said. He went off the scrub and returned looking green around the gills, I scrubbed myself and put his gloves on. He had changed into the jeans that I leant him, that were tight around the waist and he had to roll them up several times. Josh handed him a tube of lube and he put a bit on his fingertips and I guided his hand into Lily's vagina.

He felt around for a few seconds in a very professional manner and said "she is fully dilated, the baby should start to crown any minute now" then he happened to glance up and would have hit the floor if Mel hadn't caught him.

"So much for that" he said putting him in the lazy boy and tilting it back. "I will read out the steps and John will do them until Dr. Wuss here wakes up, I guess" he suggested. I agreed and took my position at her feet.

"Josh, I am scared," panted Lily.

"It is going to be okay, just breath how we learned in Lamaze class and it will be over soon," he said soothingly. He was doing well.

"It hurts so much" she wailed.

"Lily, you are lucky; this should be over in half an hour tops. Some women have to wait all day." I soothed.

"Okay, step one, calm the mom, you have already done that, step two place a clean sheet or towel under the delivery area and have another one on hand to wrap the placenta in, to take that to the hospital to be examined by the doctor" read off Mel.

"Check," I said spreading towels beneath Lily's wide spread legs. "Push when you feel you want," I said to her

Mel read "Try to get her up in a squatting position. This will shorten the birth canal and gravity will work in her favor"

Josh gently guided her into position and helped her to remain like that."Breathe with me Lily" he instructed and showed her how to take deep breaths and then pant.

I looked in between her legs and saw the top of the baby's head. "You are starting to crown, it is only going to be a few more minutes," I said to the exhausted girl.

Mel read off the screen "As the perineum bulges gently support it with your hand to minimize tearing" I did as he suggested. "Next step Gently cradle the baby's head and guide it out of the birth canal with the pushes of the mom's body. It will usually turn to the side as it emerges. As soon as the baby's head is out clear its nose and mouth of fluids by stroking downwards on the nose and mouth gently, or using a bulb syringe, gently."

"It is almost over Lily," I said as his head emerged with her pushes and I gently placed my one hand beneath iy and cleared his nose and mouth with the other. Lily was screaming by this point and only Josh's hands kept her in position.

One of the baby's shoulders emerged then the other appeared and then, with the slickness of an eel, the rest of the baby slid out. Lily's agonized screams ceased. I went through the rest of the steps to allow the fluids to drain from his nasal cavities. Then placed him on Lily's belly, covering them both with a blanket.

"He is so beautiful', said the exhausted by happy Lily. Josh beamed and looked at his tiny son. He placed his finger in the tiny fist and the newborn opened blue innocent eyes (Lily's eyes) and gripped it. I don't think that josh realized that he was crying.

"He is," I agreed wondering why I was the one who always seemed to end up in the delivery room. I looked at the tiny scrap of Human-Neko life and said "sorry pal, you get Eric's help; I am retiring from the baby delivery business. We got the afterbirth out of her and wrapped it up to be transported to the hospital.

The woman, Matt and Eric returned right then.

"Tabby, I thought that you said that your phone was on vibrate?" said Pam. They had gone to celebrate the fact that Tabby's Tas-teas teabags had become its own brand of tea and was to be marketed at most grocery stores.

The women cooed over the baby and we all took turns holding him while Eric called the ambulance.

"What is his name going to be?" asked Sookie.

Josh and Lily smiled at each other and then she said "we are naming him after Josh's father, Lucian John Dax" she looked at me when she said this. I beamed at my name being included in his. I held Lucian while Josh and the ladies took Lily to get her cleaned up and dressed to go to the hospital. "Welcome to the family" I whispered to the tiny slumbering infant. He yawned and I swear, winked at me.

******

I was watching the entertainment news again, after all I was expecting to see myself on it; I had modeled that latest Ralph Lauren gown. The announcer had just announced that this item was next, when a news bulletin cut in. "Just hours after their charity event for Libby Kavaliaouskas. Mrs. Lily Dax, wife of famous artist discovered by Sir Mick Jagger, Joshua Dax gave birth at home in an emergency situation. Both mother and baby are said to be fine, we will bring you more details as we have them. Suddenly Josh ran out of the hospital to join her. She handed him the mike "It is a boy, 6 lbs. 4 ounces. His name is Lucian John Dax. I am a daddy" he said with a huge smile and handed her a cigar, then hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. She laughed and then he excused himself to return to his new family. Then she announced that someone wanted to say hello and they showed the same little girl from the charity picture standing with her family.

"Congratulations Josh" she said in a bright accented tone. "And thank you"

Her father leaned over "Josh, you brought about more then my just saving my daughter's life. The immigration department got in contact with me and we are getting our landing papers by the end of the week. The surgical clinic called us personally to offer to do Libby's operation at half cost and I am going to use the other half to be certified to practice medicine again only here in America; not Lithuania. You and Lily should be saints!" he finished happily.

I sat there stunned as the entertaining news came to an end without a single mention of me.

"Fuck," I yelled. "I am getting so sick of those people!" I cried and then pondered how to take care of this problem.


	19. Chapter 19

Woot woot, got my kitchen tiles put down and grout is going in tonight. Send me your email address if you would like photos :) Obsidian

******

I was playing hide and seek with Lucian, as much as one could play hide and seek with a one month old. It was a silly game that I had invented during 'our days' when mommy attended class and I took over as primary care giver. I would set him down carefully in a highly comfortable place and pretend to be shocked when discovering him there. This would be accompanied by me bounding from place to place and jumping a lot, pretending to looking in the wrong places before stumbling upon him and saying "found you". He would giggle and reach for me. I would then take him bounding and jumping safely with me. Don't tell Lily, shush; it is our secret.

I loved being a father and husband in a way I never thought I would. Nana, Lily and I took turns taking care of Lucian. Lily was breast feeding him so she pumped out milk for when she wasn't there. I still went to the shop and she to classes, so we had a busy life revolving around our family and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I had just 'discovered' him in his bassinet in my office when the bell rang. I scooped him up and said "come on Lucian, I shall teach you how to properly greet people at the door". I looked through the peephole and loudly said, "Fuck" when I saw who it was and then said to Lucian. "That is not how you greet someone and I never said that nasty word in front of you. Please don't tell Mommy," I requested of him. I opened the door and coldly said "Nancy?" I idly wondered why she was dressed like a hooker. She had on thigh high brown leather boots, black hot pants and a red cropped tank top. "Like your costume" I said, "are you attending a tarts and vicars party? I assume that you are going as a tart and not a vicar" I enquired politely.

******

I fumed when he said this. He used to love it when I dressed this way when I was 17; I wanted to remind him of what he was missing. "Hello Josh. Aren't you going to invite me in?" I purred. He looked good enough to eat in worn black jeans and a blue t-shirt, neither of which were tight on him. They fit his muscular slenderness just right. "You've been working out." I observed, "Still going to that discount gym near your shop?" I asked.

He shrugged and hitched the baby on his shoulder a little higher. "No we converted some of the warehouse into a home gym. I am getting a little more muscular because I am eating more regularly these days and working out with _my wife_. She likes to work out with me as she is trying to take off pregnancy weight," he explained. As if daring me to say anything derogatory about his minion's mommy, I refused to comment. "Okay come in, but not for too long, I wouldn't want my neighbour to think that I am paying you for your time" he said in an insulting way.

Refusing to rise to the bait I glanced curiously around, I had expected the inside to be furnished with cast off furniture, but imagine my surprise when the floors were hardwood with a cherry finish, over stuffed couches and heavy dark wood furniture. The place was huge but all pieces were well appointed and there was no negative use of space. The only this odd about the place were the museum quality display cases, also in a cherry wood finish containing Harley Davison Motorcycles. There were glass-covered bookcases crammed with books everywhere. A wrought iron spiral staircase went to the second floor and it there also seemed to be an elevator and wrap around staircases at the back. "This is a nice place," I said in awe. It was not how I pictured a place that Josh would live in at all.

He smiled "thanks, you should have seen it before Nana and I moved in. I put down the flooring myself and part of her Grandpa John's wedding present was to hire an interior decorator to get rid of the 'bachelor vampire' look. He said that our family needed a real home." I was still staring around; the place looked nicer then my father's mansion!

He seemed unsure about what to do with me. "Would you like to come into the kitchen? I would just about to feed Lucian"

"Sure, I would love to. Perhaps you can fix me a drink too" I purred.

He led me into a beautiful kitchen with gray toned marble floors and countertops with an island and dark gray cabinets. The appliances were all high-end stainless steel, double ovens, French door fridge and cooking range. He set a bottle of milk in a pan of water to heat it up then turned to me. "We have iced tea, diet coke, orange juice and apple juice. What would you like to drink?" he asked causally. I sat at the island and stretched my leg out fully so he couldn't miss how long and sexy it was. He didn't even notice and went and set the baby down in a bassinet. "I was hoping for something stronger" I said.

He paused and said "it isn't even noon yet. Isn't it a bit early to start drinking?"

"It is dinner time some place in the world" I replied leaning forward so that he could see down my top; again he was too busy making silly faces at the baby to notice. I almost snarled in frustration.

He finally turned to me and didn't even glance at my visible cleavage "what would you like then?"

"How about a blow job? The drink; not anything else" I said suggestively.

He looked somewhat disgusted at me and said "gin and tonic okay?"

"Fine" I said in my normal tone of voice and he went to the bar that I spotted earlier to mix my drink. I walked over and examined the child. My heart skipped a beat; he was absolutely adorable with beautiful blue eyes and long eyelashes. His hair was silken and light brown in colour, quite abundant for his age; I suspected that it would darken to Josh's own dark brown. Then it hit me. I could have had adorable children with Josh that looked human! Other then the pointed ears there was no visible sign that this child was half demon. He smiled at me with a smile so like his father's that it almost broke my heart. Then he ducked his head and then looked back. He was flirting with me! Josh returned and handed me my drink and then poured a glass of iced tea for himself. I crossed my legs positive that the edge of my black lace thong was visible at the crotch of my shorts; again nothing. "Cute kid; might want to get his ears fixed" I said causally.

His head snapped up and anger flashed in his eyes. "He is fine that way he is. His ears are less pointed then my own and I will allow him to get them fixed if he chooses to later on in life."

"Hey, I was just suggesting" I said. "Aren't you going to have a drink with me?" I asked and went to stand next to him as he tested the bottle on his arm. He flinched when I touched his back.

He glared at me again "I have a one month old baby to take care of, drinking is not an option" With that he draped a towel over his shoulder and scooped up the baby to hold the bottle to his mouth. His face softened when he looked at his son and I watched in astonishment as he started purring. This caused me to wonder if I made a mistake in not marrying him. Here he was, well established in his career, with a beautiful family, a nice home and was a good father from the look of it. It wasn't fair! I couldn't even get my own fiancé to set a date and I think he might be cheating on me!

When he was finished feeding the baby, he burped him then Lucian seemed to fall asleep. Josh whispered that he was going to put him in his crib and moved silently from the room. While he was gone I examined the living room and discovered the mantel of the fireplace was awash with photos; ones of Josh and Lily, ones of Tabby, ones of all three, ones of Lucian etc. Finding one of Josh by himself leaning against the front of his tattoo shop, I glanced around to make sure he couldn't see me and slipped it into my purse.

He rejoined me and made a point of sitting in a chair by himself. "Why are you here?" he said getting straight to the point.

I moved so that I was straddling his lap, he froze when I did this. Grinding my crotch against his, I said "I thought that you might be sick of playing husband and father and might want to play with me" I said seductively. "I know your wife is in classes and we have all day long." He stood up so fast I was dropped on my butt. "What the fuck!" I yelled.

"Nancy, you should leave. I am not playing at anything, if I seem like I am acting like a husband and father, it is because I am" he said coldly.

"Fine I will go, but first tell me. You could have had me back just now. Why do you love her so much?" I asked in exasperation.

******

I pondered that question. Why do I love her so much? I couldn't even pinpoint when I did fall in love with her. She used to make a habit of showing up at my shop during the day after we became friends to make sure that I ate, often she would bring food that she prepared herself and we would sit in the park nearby and eat together picnic style. I got so used to it, sometimes I prepared the food. Then we would get together for dinner every night as well.

Was it that fact that I kissed Lily before I slept with her the second time? Nancy was the last girl that I kissed before Lily. I had many one nightstands with drunken sluttish women that I picked up in the intervening years. I am not proud of myself but I got lonely just like everyone else. However I would have sex with them but refuse to kiss them; kissing was too personal for me to share with just anyone. Yet Lily and I shared lots of kisses before we made love. It felt so good just to be held like that by her, she was so patient with me.

Was it that the last time I tried to pick a girl up when I simply couldn't go through with it and left because I felt the need to see Lily? So I showed up at her place at one in the morning drunk out of my mind and soaking wet from running in the rain. She asked nothing and simply invited me in and got me a bathrobe to change into. She put my clothing in the dryer. She sat down on the couch and held her arms out for me; I cuddled against her just trembling and not saying anything. She could have done anything she wanted to me that night yet, she just held me and stroked my hair until I relaxed against her. I felt so safe being with her. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to find myself covered with a blanket and her making me breakfast.

So many incidences, so many times I could have fallen in love with her. Finally I arrived at "I love her for herself and how I feel with I am with her, nothing more then that"

Nancy sneered "you don't like the fact that she is loaded, so you can own your little tattoo shop and live in a place like this? Funny how you like rich girls"

My temper flared "Just so you know, Lily's money is her money. Nana and I both contribute to the household expenses as well. We didn't buy the place; her grandpa gave it to her. I am not a gigolo; I would have married Lily if she lived in a cardboard box and ate nothing but dumpster food."

"Funny how she just happens to be rich though" she said facetiously.

My eyes narrowed at her "I have changed in the last few years and have come to realize a few things about myself. I thought that I was unworthy of you because you said so and I believed it. However now I realize that you were never worthy of me, you were a cheap little tramp who used me for sex and dumped me when the going got tough. I deserve to be with anyone I want and that is Lily"

"Fuck you!" she screamed.

"Never again; I don't like whores. Now keep your voice down, my son is trying to sleep" I said in a dangerous voice.

******

I turned as I heard the front door open and looked questioningly at Josh "I think that Lily got the message I left her when I went to put Lucian in his crib" he said with a smirk.

Lily stormed in with fire in her eyes "Hi Lily I was in the neighbourhood and thought..." I said then I was knocked to the ground when she punched me in the left cheek. I felt dazed when she hauled me up by my shirt, almost tearing it from my body.

"If you show your big skank ass around here again, I will personally tear you limb from limb. I am warning you for the last time; stay away from my husband and our son" she said in a growling voice. She seized my hair and literally dragged me out by that as I screamed and begged her to let go. We got to the door and she hauled me up and seemed to look me over for the first time, she sneered "my husband hates slutty clothes, he literally cut them off me the first time that he saw me dressed like that. No more fucking around, adios _brunette_" Lily cried and threw me bodily on to the sidewalk.

******

I fumed as I shut the door to find my husband clapping. "Why the hell did you let her in in the first place?" I shrieked at him. "You could have kicked her out at any time!"

He put his arms around me and kissed me until I was breathless. "Yes I could have and she would have come back again, she knows I won't hurt her. However, with you hitting her, she will be too frightened to now. It seems I married a tiger" he explained with a sexy grin

I had to chuckle at his point "It is did feel awfully to punch her" I admitted.

"So are you going to classes for the rest of the day?" he asked.

"No I told my Profs I had a family emergency at home" I explained.

"Then you will allow me to take you to lunch and then spend the rest of the day making love to you when we aren't taking care of Lucian?" he said seductively.

I shivered at the idea "well that is why we do have a baby monitor beside the bed. Okay, you get the stroller set up and I'll get Lucian and the diaper bag" I suggested pinching his butt and giving him a kiss.

"Sounds good" he said with a smile "Oh, you owe money to the swear jar."

"And you do for earlier" I said.

His eyes grew wide "Are you sure you aren't telepathic like Cameron and Sookie?"

"I just get glimpses" I replied demurely.

******

I was in pain and sure that I was developing a bruise on the left side of my face. I kept on being mistaken for a hooker and kept yelling at people to fuck off until I managed to grab a taxi. Checking my face in the rearview mirror, I noticed that it was going red and purple. "I will get you for this Lily!" I snarled.


	20. Chapter 20

Just so you know that this shall be my second last chapter of this series. I have enjoyed writing it but feel I might peruse writing anime ff for a while instead, so don't be confused if you get and an author alert that brings you to Inuyasha anime ff mature section. I have enjoyed your reviews and pms, however don't feel inspired to write CH so much right now. Then there is the RL thing.

Happy reading the many talented writers that continue to add their creativity to the CH section to keep you all amused. Obsidian

******

My butler announced that John Doe was at the door to see me and was surprised to see the handsome vampire being shown in to my study. I had never seen him up close and few pictures of him appear anywhere.

"Would you care for a drink?" I asked politely then realized my mistake "sorry" I said.

"It is okay, I have already eaten" he joked and briefly allowed his fangs to run out. I had many vampires as clients so I was not scared by this, I simply took the joke with the spirit that it was given and forced a laugh. Vampires have an odd sense of humour.

"It was brought to my attention that your daughter has been trying to seduce my granddaughter's husband. Her attentions aren't appreciated." He explained and leaned in closely towards me "we don't like it" he said somewhat ominously, leaving no doubt as to whom the 'we' was.

I almost groaned a loud and asked the question that I was sure I already had the answer to "who is your granddaughter married to?"

"Joshua Dax, they are still fairly recently married and have a six month old baby" he explained.

That Dax guy again! I don't know why my Nancy can't seem to stay away from him. "I wasn't aware they were back in contact" I said honestly.

"They aren't; she is. I _request_ that you tell your daughter that she isn't welcome in his life, his home and especially to his person" said John in a polite tone with just a hint of an edge.

"I will try, but I have not been able to control my daughter since she was fourteen" I replied.

"I suggest that you do try and control her, my granddaughter is getting upset by her actions and I hate her to be upset" he said in the same tone of voice. "Nancy is skating on thin ice as far as our patience goes"

"Are you threatening her?" I asked. "You are bound by human law and can't do anything to her" I retorted

"I am not threatening, merely suggesting" said John, "I would never kill a human who does not deserve it" he said and turned to leave.

******

I lay back helplessly on the bed while Josh assaulted me with his tongue; he is being particularly devilish today. He had pulled up the middle of my body so that my legs are draped over his shoulders and his hands support my buttocks. This position brings his mouth and tongues inches from my hot core and his slightly rough tongue has been attacking me a starving man. First he swirled it all over my hot sex, avoiding the bud of my pleasure then finally plunging as deep it into my hot tightness as he can go, forcing it as deeply as possible again and again. I could feel him smiling against the sensitive skin and he used his finger to tease back the hood hiding my pearl and sucked it deep into his hot mouth and began flicking it with his tongue and lightly nipping it with his fangs. With each flick I could feel my body getting tighter and tighter with desire until his final nip pushed me over the edge and I came hard screaming Josh's name. Then he lowered my body and crawled forward as to place himself at my entrance, I surprises him by rolling us over and impaling myself on his length in one fluid motion. He gasped as he felt my walls grip him and I smirked and silently thanked kegal exercises. I was now back to pre-pregnancy weight and had back my taunt belly as if I had never pregnant in the first place. I kissed him and tasted my juices on his lips I explored his velvety mouth with my tongue. I started to ride him hard, loving each bestial moan that elicited from his throat on the downward stroke. I grabbed his hands and held him pinned by his wrists saying that I was fully going to have my way with him. It was only about a minute when I reached my first orgasm. He took this opportunity to wrench his wrist free and rubbed my clit in an almost bruising manner; I went wild and rode him even harder, I could feel him getting ready to come and threw back my head and roared out one of my own. We both froze as we heard a baby's wail fill the room. We both turned to look at the monitor, our hair was a train wreck, our bodies covered with sweat and both were breathing heavy. I leaned my forehead against his and said "sounds like your son is awake"

Josh laughed and said "it is funny that when he isn't interrupting our making love, he is both of ours, but when he is; he is suddenly only mine"

We got up and dressed and went to take care of Lucian, who was fussy because we weren't paying attention to him. He is a tad spoiled. Josh had agreed to finish his art degree after much badgering on my part and Tabby's so we were both had classes at the same time today. I dressed Lucian in Josh's least favourite outfit; it showed cute kittens all over it and prepared for us the take him to Tabby's Tas-tea, where his Nana would be taking care of him for a few hours.

"He looks so stupid in that outfit" grumbled Josh. "You can't even tell that he is male"

I laughed and put Lucian in his arms "He is only six months old; he is not going to care how he will look at this point. When he gets older he can pick out his own clothes" I explained. "Unless he wants to dress like how you do when you are go into the shop, in that case he will find me still picking out his clothes for him" I said picturing a fifteen year old wearing one of Josh's paint on tattooing outfits.

"Hey girls like that" he exclaimed.

"This one doesn't unless it is just for me" I explained.

He smiled "you're jealous" he said.

"Of you, always" I said letting myself in through the back door of Tabby's. "Hi Tabby we're here" I called.

She came out sipping a cup of tea. "How is my grandson?" she asked reaching for Lucian whom Josh handed over to her. "When can I expect more?" was the way that she addressed Josh and Lily.

"It has only been six months" explained Lily.

"And you are not pregnant yet" countered Tabby. She looked at Josh "are you shooting blanks now?" she asked.

"Nana, the proof that I am not is in your arms. We are using protection because we want to wait until Lucian is about one year old before we starting trying have another child" admonished Josh.

"I have never heard such nonsense!" She protested.

Lily grabbed Josh's hand and said "we have to go to class" and pulled Josh away after kissing Lucian goodbye.

Nana put Lucian in the bassinet that she kept in the corner so that he could be watched over by his various adopted grannies while she made a batch of lemon muffins. The elderly guardians fondly watched the child's antics and then turned back to their game of bridge when Lucian went to sleep.

A few minutes later a young pretty Spanish woman walked into the tea house and picked up the infant with practiced skill. When the poor elderly darlings questioned her, she explained that she was the nanny just hired by his parents. She looked entirely respectable and unassuming so they did not question her too closely. They returned to their game, they barely registered that she was edging towards the door. By the time it was time for a tea break, Tabby had returned.

"Where is Lucian?" she asked the sweet old dears.

"He is with his nanny; she said she was taking him for a walk" replied Velma.

"He doesn't have a nanny!" yelled Tabby and she bounded out of the shop running faster then any human woman of her advanced age could. "Lucian, please someone help me find my grandson" she screamed.

******

I hurried out to the blonde waiting in her car, I feel horrible about helping to kidnap this child and wish I didn't have to, but my own baby is sick and as I am an illegal immigrant, I can't afford to take her to the hospital. That is the only reason why I agreed to act as wet nurse to this baby. He is starting to get upset and I swear to god, I think I saw claws on his finger tips for a few seconds. Nancy promised me that she would pay me five thousand for just a few days work, I can't pass this up.

"Sorry baby" I whispered as I step into the car.

"You get the right brat?" asked Nancy.

I showed him to her "yes that is Josh's son alright" she said with an expression that was positively demonic and roared off at a speed that was not at all appropriate for a car containing so young an infant.

******

I held the baby in my arms and gazed at him, he didn't seem to like me much and snarled at me weakly with tiny fangs and swiped his claw tipped fingers at me. "Temper, temper Lucian" I said. "Soon you will be with your new family; I guess they will be in for a bit of a shock when it comes to your unusual attributes. Your mother and father will never be able to find you once you hit the baby black market. She took my baby, I'll take hers" I said narrowing my eyes at the tiny creature. Not liking the way he was bearing his teeth at me.

******

Lily was sobbing in my arms "we'll find him" I said trying to comfort her.

"Nancy has him!" she wailed.

"Why would she take him? She doesn't even like children. Whoever has him will probably ransom him to us by the end of the day. We'll get him back" I said soothingly.

She gave me a look that I can only describe as deadly and in a calm voice said "call my family; they can find him" I shivered at the finality in her voice.


End file.
